A nationwide lifeguard shortage has pushed Vancouver’s pools to cut hours and limit their offerings for swim lessons.
“Particularly post pandemic, we’ve just had fewer and fewer applicants, and there’s more competition for those workers,” said Dave Perlick, interim director at Vancouver Parks and Recreation. “So, we’ve seen our numbers dwindle over a long period of time.”
The aquatics staff at the parks department is less than half the size it was before the pandemic. With fewer lifeguards, the parks department has had to reduce hours at its pools.
The department is now looking to hire as many lifeguards as possible. Though fewer people are applying, especially for flexible, daytime positions.
“We’ve had to look at shifts that made sense,” said Perlick. The department has tried to staff popular programs like open swim, exercise classes and swim lessons.
“We’ve tried to maintain some of everything,” said Perlick. “But frankly, all of those activities have been reduced because of the reduced staffing and availability of hours.”
Since the spring, the department has cut its hours by about 30 percent.
“It’s a pretty significant hit,” said Perlick.
A national issue
For years, parents have struggled to get their kids in swimming lessons at the city’s public pools.
Other pools in the area have also had challenges with aquatics staffing, though not to the extent that the large public pools have.
Vancouver Public Schools manages the Jim Parsley Community Center at 2901 Falk Road.
Jim Parsley has enough lifeguards right now, but there have been times when the pool has needed to close early or not open to full capacity.
Staffing has been problematic for pools across the nation, said Erica Barnes Davis, community facility coordinator at Vancouver Public Schools.
“It’s not just a local issue,” she said.
While Jim Parsley has largely been able to keep its pool open during normal hours, it has only been able to offer swim lessons on Saturdays. Previously, lessons were available three days per week.
“We’re not at staffing levels to be able to offer that,” she said.
Extensive training
Lifeguards can’t be hired and trained overnight. The parks department’s lifeguards require a significant amount of training that typically takes months.
Lifeguards complete online training, in person training, pass an exam and then shadow a senior lifeguard. By the end, they have five different certifications.
“We make sure that they are fully equipped with everything to be confident and to be successful,” said Taylor Cochran, senior recreation specialist.
Still, the department has tried to be flexible. If a candidate can’t pass the deep-water pool tests, the department may allow them to continue training as a shallow water guard. Marshall pool is 9 feet deep, while Firstenburg is only 4.
Deeper pool of candidates
Going forward, local pools are considering new tactics in hiring lifeguards. The parks department, for instance, is especially encouraging people who aren’t the typical teenage candidates to apply — like moms who have kids back in school or recent retirees.
“I don’t want anybody to feel intimidated that they feel like they can’t apply to be a lifeguard,” said Cochran. “We make sure that they’re fully trained.”
