ARIZONA, USA — More city-run pools will be open this summer in Phoenix, thanks to more lifeguards and staff able to be hired this year.
Phoenix will have 18 of 29 pools open this summer, up from 14 last year. The struggle to hire lifeguards is affecting not just Phoenix pools, but other Valley cities as well.
Phoenix finds challenge in hiring experienced staff
This year, lifeguards were offered a $3,000 hiring incentive in the City of Phoenix, up from $2,500 the year prior.
"The incentive pay has made a difference in the amount of applications that we've had," Adam Waltz, public information officer for the City of Phoenix's Parks and Recreation Department, said.
One of the bigger hurdles that Waltz said the city saw this year was hiring experienced pool managers and assistant managers. Those positions need two to three years of experience with the city.
"You can have enough lifeguards to staff a pool, but if you don't have the experienced manager to run that pool and make those snap decisions based on experience, then you can't open that pool safely," Waltz said.
Currently, the city isn't accepting new applications right now, but is reviewing already submitted applications.
The additional pools able to open this summer are being added in hopes of making pool time available in as many parts of the community as possible.
"There's a demand in every part of the city. So we want to make sure that we hit every community. And even though some pools will only be open for a month at least they're getting some way to cool off and some access to a safe place to be," Waltz said.
Tempe still hiring for summer
Currently, the City of Tempe is still hiring for summer lifeguarding positions.
Kay Horner, senior aquatics coordinator for the City of Tempe said she's hoping to hire up to 30 more lifeguards to staff Tempe's pools this summer.
"I'm excited. But I'm also nervous because the job market has just really changed. And I'm really having a difficult time finding as many as I'd like to to have that comfort zone of covering the pools, but we're still working on it," Horner said.
While the pandemic is what Horner noticed as the start of hiring challenges in lifeguarding, she's noticed other factors in the workforce too.
"I just think the mindset of our young people has changed. I grew up really needing to work and these guys are looking for an experience. So moving forward, we're trying to help them understand that this is a great experience, there is no other job that will help them have as many customer service skills, learn that trade," Horner said.
A spokesperson for the city said Tempe is going to have an increased summer wage this year, and said those adjustments are still being finalized.
Peoria hopeful to be fully staffed
Peoria is also still hiring lifeguards for the summer to staff the city's three pools.
While the city was fully staffed last year, the City of Peoria's recreation coordinator Christian Peck said, the staff hired didn't want to work as many hours as the city had anticipated they would.
"I'm optimistic that we will be fully staffed," Peck said.
Peck said the retention rate for lifeguards is back to around 80 percent, which is similar to pre-pandemic levels. She believes that the retention rate has come from the experience the city is providing to the lifeguarding staff.
"It's going back and trying to make it a fun and friendly environment and make it that they want to come back, you know, so that's huge right now," Peck said.
Currently, Peoria is scheduled to have one more lifeguard class starting this weekend.
Fully staffed for the first time since COVID in Mesa
In Mesa, where lifeguards will be paid $16.51 an hour and swim instructors more than $17, Mesa pools are going to be fully staffed this summer.
"It's the first summer since COVID that we've been fully staffed," Courtney Clay, Recreation Supervisor with the City of Mesa said. "So, it's very exciting."
It's the higher pay and hiring incentives Clay believes have made a difference this year to get Mesa pools staffed.
That means Mesa pools will be open for regular hours again this year, and an additional swim lesson will be offered each half hour. Registration for swim lessons is opening on April 24th for Mesa residents.
"Of course, safety is number one, the more lifeguards we have, the more safe the pools are," Clay said.
City of Glendale needs lifeguards for two aquatic centers
The City of Glendale is looking for between 90 to 115 lifeguards to staff its two aquatic centers for the summer months.
It will be the first time since 2019 that both aquatic centers will be open full-time.
The city has approved a wage increase for lifeguards with the starting wage being $25 an hour.
Other Valley cities working to staff pools
A spokesperson for the City of Chandler said the city is expected to be fully staffed for lifeguards this summer.
To get ahead of staffing challenges, a spokesperson for the City of Goodyear said the city has been offering increases in pay and free lifeguard training classes, and said the city is 'doing very well' in hiring for the summer.
However, the Goodyear spokesperson noted it's when school starts back up in the fall that much of their staff is unable to continue to work, which did affect the city's facility as it has extended summer hours.
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