NYC cancels free outdoor swim lessons due to ‘national lifeguard shortage’

[Kamaji]

NYC cancels free outdoor swim lessons due to ‘national lifeguard shortage’

By David Meyer and Steven Vago
June 15, 2022

This sinks!

New York City’s free swimming programs have been torpedoed again this summer by a “national shortage of lifeguards,” the Parks Department said.

“Due to the national lifeguard shortage, unfortunately we will not be hosting swim programs, including lap swim, senior swim, and Learn to Swim, at our outdoor pools this summer,” the city agency posted on its Twitter account Monday afternoon.

The department said its 52 outdoor pools “will remain open each day for general swim from 11am-3pm and from 4pm–7pm.”

Pools across the country have struggled to hire guards in a tight labor market. Around a third of the country’s 309,000 pools are in danger of being unable to even open, according to the American Lifeguard Association.

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Source:  https://nypost.com/2022/06/15/nyc-cancels-free-outdoor-swim-lessons-amid-lifeguard-shortage/

[mountaineer]

It makes no sense that this has become a "national" issue. Perhaps the problem is that the usual life guard candidates - teenagers - don't want to go to the effort of earning the certification and really don't want to have to work when they could be staring at their phones in mom's basement all day.

[GtHawk]

Is this another symptom of shutting down the nation and restricting our youth?

[libertybele]

They interviewed a couple of people who are in charge of the community pools around here and they are saying the same thing; there is a lifeguard shortage. From what I gathered it boils down to the lifeguards want more money.

We have a community pool nearby and a waterpark.  I haven't been to either since the pandemic hoopla.

Nothing is the same anymore.