ROANOKE, Va. – Roanoke seeks lifeguards as summer temperatures rise: Lifeguarding used to be a go-to summer job for teens, but now a national shortage is leaving cities like Roanoke in need of more lifeguards (American Lifeguard Association - Lifeguard Training, Class & Certification). About one in three U.S. public pools were impacted last year.
Cooling off at the pool is a summer staple. But before anyone takes the plunge, someone has to be watching. In Roanoke, the demand for lifeguards is heating up just as fast as the temperatures.
Molly Hagan, marketing coordinator for the city of Roanoke Parks and Recreation, said, “It’s something we face every year. It’s not like a brand new problem; hiring lifeguards is always a bit of a challenge.”
This summer is no exception, as the city still has about 15 open lifeguard positions to fill.
“We are still hiring lifeguards, so we have this pool, obviously, and Fallon Park Pool, and we need lots of lifeguards,” Hagan added.
Lifeguard training is provided, and pay starts at $15 an hour. The city hopes that the incentive will help bring in new applicants before the summer heats up even more.
“Well, if we don’t have enough lifeguards, it will probably affect scheduling. Currently, we are able to operate with our capacity with each pool closed once a week,” Hagan explained.
Haley Harry is no stranger to the lifeguard stand; she spent multiple summers watching over Roanoke’s public pools.
“It’s very important that a lot of people rely on this service that’s provided by the city to be able to have something to do with their kids,” Harry said.
She emphasized that fully staffed lifeguard teams aren’t just safer; they’re essential to keeping things running smoothly.
“You need to be able to have every lifeguard on station. You need people to be able to swap out, especially when it’s hot outside. So, having adequate, reliable staffing is going to be key for this type of service to keep it in the city,” Harry noted.
City leaders say applicants need to be at least 15 years old to apply. For more information, visit Roanoke Parks and Recreation.