MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County is in a desperate search for lifeguards so that public pools can open this summer.
Only four of the county’s 25 pools opened last year due to a shortage of lifeguards. For the same reason, Bradford Beach hasn’t had lifeguards on duty in years.
The problem has not gone away. Plans to reverse it are ramping up.
“We’ve been out actively recruiting at high schools, with swim teams, and have been going to a variety of hiring events,” said Andrea Wallace, Assistant Director of Recreation for Milwaukee County Parks. “We are also hosting our own hiring event solely focused on jobs with the parks on Jan. 30 at the Mitchell Park Domes Greenhouse from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.”
Wallace says the Covid-19 pandemic fractured the lifeguard pipeline by halting certification classes and shutting down pools. As a result, a lot of young people who are typically lifeguards found other jobs or moved on. The industry hasn’t bounced back.
“Our goal is to have people start with us as beginners, and return through the years, for summers, or stay year-round,” said Wallace. “We offer bonuses for returning employees.”
Kaitlyn DeLong started as a Milwaukee County lifeguard four years ago. She has worked at Cool Waters at Greenfield Park, McCarty Park Pool, Pulaski, and Noyes Pool. She now teaches swim classes and lifeguard training.
“It’s a great job if you’re a student,” said DeLong. “I’ve made a lot of great friends, and it’s great for building work experience.”
Every Saturday for the next six weeks (Jan 21-Feb 25), the county is holding free lifeguard training classes at Noyes Park (8235 Good Hope Road) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
In February and March, there will also be free weeknight training options at Pulaski High School’s pool.
To sign up and review lifeguard training options, visit this link.
The training is open to everyone with no experience necessary. To be a lifeguard this summer though you must be 16 or older by July 2023.
DeLong hopes people don’t let the fear of not being good enough in the water yet scare them.
“It took me a couple of times to pass the training requirements,” she said. “But the teachers really work closely with everyone to make sure they can get to the level of being certified.”
The starting salary for a beginner lifeguard in Milwaukee County is $16.47/hour. Extra money can be earned by referring friends who become lifeguards and staying on the job through the whole summer season.
County recreation leaders say it’s a vicious cycle, because closed pools lead to fewer kids and teens swimming and learning how to swim, which makes the challenge of finding lifeguards even worse.
