Lifeguarding might seem like a dream summer job, but many Maritime pools and beaches are finding it more difficult to find staff each year.
Doug Ferguson, the New Brunswick CEO of the Lifesaving Society, takes calls from facilities every spring as they desperately look to fill empty lifeguard positions.
“There’s a shortage if you’re only paying $10 an hour,” says Ferguson.
Ferguson says many facilities have found offering competitive wages, or a pay about 20 per cent above minimum wage, is necessary so that the pay cheque reflects the responsibility.
“It provides that recognition for the training that has been required,” says Ferguson.
“A lot of it is bookwork, but at the same time, a lot of it is water rescue, being able to practice those skills so when something happens, you react instantly,” says lifeguard Alex Mullin.
Lifeguards in Canada must complete at least 60 hours of training before becoming certified.
“So you get this crash courses running in the month of June and if you leave it until July, now you’re in real trouble, because most youth have found other employment,” says Ferguson.
Smaller communities seem to have trouble retaining trained lifeguards year to year and some have tried turning to adults to fill those spots.
“You were a swimmer once, you haven’t forgotten how to swim,” says Ferguson. “Come back and learn the First Aid and lifeguard skills and get full-time employment at the facility.”
He says the lack of lifeguards is more than just an issue of employment; the greater concern it that swimming areas could go unsupervised.
Statistics show the risk of drowning is greatly reduced when a lifeguard is near.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Nick Moore
