Lifeguards needed ahead of huge holiday crowds in Volusia County
Over 250 people were rescued from the water in Volusia County over the weekend, which could be a preview of what is expected to be a busy holiday weekend.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – According to the American Lifeguard Association (ALA), a nationwide lifeguard shortage is impacting about a third of the country’s over 300,000 public pools and has caused some facilities to limit hours of operation or close altogether. It’s also affecting beaches, including some in Central Florida.
Grace Scheuerman returned for her third summer as a Volusia County lifeguard. She said this summer is proving to be stressful.
“We used to have like a tower every quarter mile, and sometimes you might have a tower every half-mile now, and it just makes you a little more jumpy because you might have a longer run or a larger group of people that you’re going out on,” she said.
Capt. A.J. Miller with Volusia County Beach Safety said they are filling towers strategically, hoping to have as many eyes on the crowds, especially on big holidays like the Fourth of July.
“It depends on the amount of personnel we have, like I said, we’re opening every tower that we can, and we base what towers open off historical data to what our busier areas are,” he said.
The ALA said there are many reasons why lifeguards are in such high demand right now. The first is the cancellation of lifeguard certification courses during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The cancellation of classes meant that existing lifeguards were unable to renew their certifications — which expire every two years. In addition, aspiring lifeguards weren’t able to be trained at all.
Many lifeguards also reportedly found other jobs in higher-paying sectors while pools were closed — and never looked back.
Miller said the agency is working to get old guards to return. He said they also added an extra recruiting class this year, plus they have a $500 bonus. However, he said the workforce competition has been tough.
“When you can go work at a fast-food restaurant or a retail store, and you can make an extra couple dollars an hour it’s more appealing to people to do that right now,” he said.
Beach Safety suggests beach goers download their app, which shows what towers are staffed.