Michigan public swimming pools may have trouble finding lifeguards this summer. The National Lifeguard Association reports a shortage in certified lifeguards nationwide. Grand Rapids YMCA Aquatics and Safety Director Becky Haveman says the demand for lifeguards isn’t going away.
“The trend now is to build more complicated pools and so it takes more staff to operate a facility than it used to and so as we need more and more staff were constantly hiring and constantly training to keep our pools open and safe.”
Haveman says her facility now pays for its employees’ Red Cross training as an additional hiring incentive. Many aquatic facilities have adopted similar perks.