Maine
Maine faces lifeguard shortage as summer approaches
Summer season is rapidly approaching, however swimming pools, seashores and water parks throughout Maine are struggling to fill their lifeguard chairs.
For the third summer time in a row, Portland won’t be opening its Reiki Pool to the general public.
“Simply staffing-wise, I used to have most likely 30 to 40 folks working below me,” Portland Aquatic Supervisor Colleen LePage mentioned. “By this time of yr, I’ve perhaps 15 or 20 common folks.”
Riverton Pool will provide restricted packages and hours for lap and open swims. Its waitlist contains at the very least 40 households searching for classes, however there’s hope.
“We’ve tried to supply a few lifeguarding lessons and so they didn’t fill,” LePage mentioned. “We do have one developing beginning this weekend, and it’s near full and that is the primary time I’ve seen it this near full because the pandemic hit.”
Funtown Splashtown USA Supervisor Cory Hutchinson remembers a time once they had been turning lifeguards away.
“Why there was a drop off, I actually can’t let you know,” Hutchinson mentioned. “Nearly all of the children that we’ve had previously, perhaps 10 years in the past, we’re all swim workforce children from the native swim groups.”
This will likely be Splashtown’s second yr providing its personal lifeguard class without spending a dime. Hutchinson mentioned it’s working. He now solely has 10 lifeguard positions left to fill.
“We really feel that that’s cash nicely spent for us to make sure that we’re in a position to function the park totally with the total capability of lifeguards that we want,” Hutchinson mentioned.
Till she sees Portland’s class turnout, LePage mentioned she should restrict its pool hours to retain the folks they do have.
“As a result of if we’re working additional hours, that additionally implies that we’re drained on the stand and that’s not a secure state of affairs,” LePage mentioned.