MACON, Ga. — Macon-Bibb County made a push to hire lifeguards to fill the shortage at city pools. They held a hiring event at Memorial Park Recreation with Aquatic Management Wednesday to hopefully hire and certify for more interest.
Currently, Delores A. Brooks, Memorial Gym, and South Bibb Recreation Center pools are open. Starting pay for lifeguards is between $12 and $18 per hour. Pay is based on experience. Aquatic Management referring guard Jack Shields says the hiring event allows them to see who is and isn't eligible.
"Surprisingly enough, a few people that apply for lifeguarding positions end up not being able to swim, so we're trying to kind of just vet the process so they don't waste money on trying to get certification," Shields said.
Aquatic Management provides the online and in-person certification for those who pass the initial swim test. The initial test for your swim abilities is two laps in the pool, tread water with no hands for one minute, and dive in the deep end and swim back. Shields says they are "vetting how strong of a swimmer" someone is.
Recreation Department Director Robert Walker says once enough lifeguards are hired and certified, they will open more pools.
All the lifeguards are also Red Cross certified. This means they are CPR- and First Aid-trained. The most important thing is that you must know how to swim. Naomi Couch was a swimmer for Swim Macon and she has experience.
She wanted to try lifeguarding because it was a new experience. Brandon Barnes is a third-year lifeguard and attends the University of Southern California. He says doing this job will help him in his future career.
"I want to be an orthopedic physician, so kind of like having hands with people, learning CPR, things of that nature, basic life-saving skills. It all kind of aligns with one of my goals and my future and my aspirations," Barnes said.
When people visit the pools, lifeguards are needed to keep watch on the water, but the first aid skills are helpful to those who need it outside of the water. Barnes says being a lifeguard is a commitment.
"We're out here from 12 to 7. It's hot, most definitely, in Macon, Georgia, and it definitely takes a commitment, it takes some type of care for the community, a lot of kids come out here coming from the neighborhoods back -- you know, they come out here and hang out here the whole day,' Barnes said.
You can go to your local rec center to find out how you can become a lifeguard. Once you pass the smaller test, you will go through the full certification.