Lifeguard shortage impacting community pools across Kansas

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – The place are the lifeguards? That’s a query communities throughout Kansas are attempting to reply as summer season nears. Many face a scarcity of candidates, with only some weeks to go earlier than swimming pools are anticipated to open. For some, the unavailability of educated lifeguards might man swimming pools don’t open on time.

In northwest Sedgwick County, Mount Hope is the newest instance of a city struggling to seek out lifeguards. Mount Hope is getting ready for pool season in need of what it wants. Two co-managers should function lifeguards for the upcoming season. Solely two others have utilized to work on the pool. 4 isn’t sufficient in terms of lifeguards.

“We actually prefer to have about seven or eight to select from,” Mount Hope Metropolis Clerk Leslie Stephan mentioned of lifeguards for the town’s pool.

She mentioned having sufficient for rotations helps to maintain lifeguards from getting burnt out.

Stephan mentioned the lifeguard scarcity was an issue final 12 months, as nicely, severe sufficient to decrease the lifeguard age restrict from 16 to fifteen. For this 12 months, the requirement is again to 16.

Plans name for Mount Hope opening its pool by Memorial Day Weekend. If the lifeguard positions aren’t crammed it might again up the opening date to early June, Stephan mentioned.

She mentioned she doesn’t need to see the pool’s opening delayed till June. however security comes first.

“As a result of we’ve got to guarantee that our children are protected. That’s our main operate is to verify these youngsters are protected,” Stephan mentioned. “So, if which means we don’t have sufficient individuals, we have to wait till we do.”

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