Every year around this time, we hear the same worry from HOA boards and property managers: will there be enough lifeguards this summer? We understand why the question comes up — it’s all over the news. But after more than 40 years doing this across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, we can tell you honestly: the shortage you keep hearing about isn’t really about a lack of people.
What We’ve Actually Seen
The lifeguards are out there. What’s changed is what they’re looking for from a summer job, and a lot of employers haven’t caught up. We ask, we listen, and we adjust — flexibility around school and sports schedules, a team that treats them well, and leadership that’s actually present, not just a name on a paycheck.
Pay matters, of course. But it’s rarely the reason a guard doesn’t come back. It’s whether they felt like part of something, whether their schedule respected their life outside the pool, and whether they were set up to succeed instead of just handed a whistle.
A Real Path, Not Just a Summer Job
One thing people don’t always realize: a good number of our own operations team started right where these lifeguards are now — on the stand. We built real pathways from lifeguard to supervisor to full-time roles, because we’ve seen firsthand that it works, and because it’s the right way to treat people who show up for us every summer.
How We Train, and Why It Matters
Every lifeguard we bring on goes through our Safety Coaching Program — ongoing coaching in surveillance, rescue technique, and emergency response, not a one-and-done certification. Guards who feel prepared and supported are the ones who stick around, and that’s good for everyone: the guard, the families at the pool, and the community that depends on us.
What This Means for Your Community
If you’re worried about staffing this season, the honest answer is: it depends on the partner you choose. We’d rather tell you plainly what coverage is realistic than promise more hours than we can deliver and leave you short in July. That’s how we’ve kept 700+ facilities, and it’s how we plan to keep doing it.