As it plans for Philly pools to reopen, the city is on the lookout for more lifeguards

The city is bracing for a pool-filled summer following last year’s reprieve, but it will need all the lifeguards it can get first.

Officials are beefing up training and recruitment efforts as they look to bring on between 350 to 400 lifeguards “to ensure” they’re “hired in time to open city pools for the summer,” the Parks & Recreation department recently announced. The department is looking to open 68 outdoor pools, which usually begin to open on a rolling basis in June.

An exact opening schedule for this summer will depend largely on staffing, said Maita Soukup, Parks & Recreation spokesperson. Pool hours, capacity, or the number of pools could be limited should the city be unable to fill the positions, she said Sunday.

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“The budget proposed yesterday has committed funds to safely open City pools this summer,” Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell said in a statement Friday. “But we can’t do it without the hundreds of fit, friendly, fabulous Philadelphians who choose to spend their summers lifeguarding at City pools. From retirees and school teachers to teens and young adults, anyone can be a lifeguard and help make this a summer to remember for Philly kids.”

Mayor Jim Kenney unveiled his $5.2 billion budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year on Thursday, with plans to restore some services cut last year, including city pools. Protocols will be announced closer to a reopening, Soukup said, though swimmers can likely expect social distancing, sanitation, contact tracing as well as mask wearing, except when in the pool.

» READ MORE: 6 takeaways from Philly Mayor Jim Kenney’s new budget

Officials shuttered public pools last year to help with funding woes created by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to keep residents safe from the virus’ spread. The city’s spraygrounds opened to bring some relief from the summer’s heat and boredom while many other activities stayed off the table due to the pandemic.

Lifeguard shortages are not new for the department, which struggled to hire enough staff in recent summers. During the 2019 season, problems lead to long waits at some city pools.

“It’s a great job,” Ott Lovell told The Inquirer at the time. “It would be nice if we didn’t have this crunch every year.”

» READ MORE: At Philly’s public pools, lifeguard shortage leads to long waits

As part of its efforts, Parks & Rec will boost training and recruitment to seven days a week from five. This weekend, it has also opened a training pool at St. Joseph’s Preparatory School in North Philadelphia, in addition to training and certification taking place at Samuel Recreation Center in Port Richmond, “to double the number of lifeguard candidates who can safely train each week.”

The position starts at $14.74 an hour. The certification fee is free for an applicant between the ages of 16-24 who are interested in working at a Philly pool.

Parks & Recreation resumed recruitment efforts in mid-March.

“Many lifeguards’ certification expired last year when pools across the country, and here in Philadelphia, didn’t open due to COVID,” Soukup said in a statement. “As a result, all new and returning guards must go through their lifeguard certification this spring.”

Further information on how to apply can be found on the city’s website.