Some Lexington pools face lifeguard shortage ahead of summer

Some companies are offering sign-on bonuses, pay raises as high as $16 an hour for those with lifeguard experience, and lifeguard CPR training funding.

LEXINGTON, Ky (WTVQ)- Summer is now in full swing and that means pools are filling up with people looking to get out of the heat.
But some pool companies are facing a challenge as kids are out of school and more families head to cool off.

Nancy Boatman knows just how easily an accident can happen near the water.

“Just the other day, my son who is a great swimmer, was in the pool and he got caught in the under a raft,” said Boatman.

Her son was fine, but she says incidents like that highlight the need for lifeguards.

“To be quite honest, I don’t think parents are quite as aware,” said Boatman. “It may be the type of thing where its not until they get to the pool that they realize that there may not be a lifeguard.”

Pools in Lexington are currently facing a lifeguard shortage. Some pool company managers are even offering incentives to try to attract more people to the job..

“I don’t know why that is and maybe it’s something that kids prefer to work indoors, where it has air conditioning and not in the sun,” said Sladyn Passman.

Passman owns Bluegrass Pool Management, which manages several pools and a water park. He says his business is facing challenge, including college students going back home for the summer.

Passman says he’s offered sign on bonuses, pay raises as high as $16 an hour for those with lifeguard experience and lifeguard CPR training funding.

“We’re looking at decreasing staff hours, so we would still maintain the 11-9 hours,” said Passman. “We would just decrease how many of those hours are actually staffed. So having lifeguards there during the peak hours, so the first hour and then an hour before close just having to leave the guards with a ‘no lifeguard on duty’ sign and working without it.”

Currently, he’s looking to hire anywhere from 8-15 lifeguards. He’s hoping the shortage doesn’t affect people from coming to the pools…

Meanwhile, Boatman says until the shortage is helped, it’s up to the parents to keep an eye on their children.

“We just have to make sure that as parents, we work together and kind of keep an eye on the whole pool if there’s not a lifeguard on duty,” said Boatman. “Lifeguards are so important and it’s such a fun career for teenagers. So i hope that they can get more lifeguards as they go throughout the summer.”

If you’re interested in applying to be a lifeguard, click here.