Crisis in the Water: Lifeguard Shortage Threatening Aquatic Safety
The aquatic facilities are places where people go to escape the scorching heat and enjoy recreation. The water enthusiasts wait for this season to have fun on open waters. In recent years, the situation has changed across the U.S. An alarming thing that aquatic facilities are facing is a severe lifeguard shortage.
This is a disruption to operations that raises safety concerns and necessitates immediate change. Experts will instead assert that the shortage comes from deeper societal changes, budget cuts, and the effects of COVID-19 on lifeguard training and certification pipelines. With aquatic facilities cutting back on hours or shutting down entirely, it is a good time to reevaluate our dependence on well-trained water safety professionals and read more for further detail.
Lifeguard Shortage: A National Emergency
Pools and beaches feeling the pinch
As summer arrives, lifeguard demand more incentives for a long career but not getting enough to their satisfaction. A recent report found almost one-third of the US’s 309,000 public swimming pools closed or operated with limited hours due to a lack of lifeguards. In New York City, only 230 lifeguards were hired out of the 600 needed to fully staff city beaches over Memorial Day weekend. Federal beach lifeguarding hasn’t been spared either—national park–run beaches like Assateague Island and Sandy Hook are understaffed or entirely unguarded.
Pandemic aftermath and structural issues
The pandemic shuttered lifeguard courses, slowing certification pipelines. Training classes were paused, and many seasoned lifeguards didn’t return. But this isn’t a new phenomenon: periodic shortages have recurred since the 1920s, and today’s problem is compounded by low wages, seasonal work perception, and increased expectations from modern workers.
The Human Toll: Safety at Risk
Risk escalates with fewer eyes on the water
Lifeguards serve as the primary line of defense against drowning incidents. Less supervision leads to slower emergency response and higher fatality risk. Public pool users are experiencing overcrowding during limited hours, stretching lifeguards beyond their capacity. In federal park zones, towns have already witnessed bystander rescues that could have become tragedies with no lifeguards on duty.
Drowning statistics confirm dangers
Approximately 4,000 drowning deaths occur annually in the US (CDC), primarily in open water. Where lifeguards are present, drowning risk drops dramatically—fewer than 1 in 18 million. Still, communities continue to suffer from preventable aquatic fatalities in lifeguard settings, compounded by inadequate staff and less public education.
Barriers to Lifeguard Recruitment & Retention
Seasonal pay and job expectations
Jobs seen as temporary summer gigs tend to attract fewer applicants looking for long-term career paths. Low pay, compounded with the expectation of availability only during peak months, has turned lifeguarding into a second-tier job. Aquatics managers increasingly view lifeguarding as a serious emergency role, not just an adolescent pastime.
Pandemic-related training halts
The pause in training sessions in 2020 and 2021 cut off new annual candidates by around 300,000. Restrictions on class sizes and facility access slowed recertification, too.
Cultural shift in job preferences
Lifeguard in modern society do not just look for good pay for their job, they give priority to the work environment, time flexibility and career development with a promise of a better future in the water safety profession. The aquatic facilities which lack these things do not get people interested in working with them lifeguard training and certification.
Real-World Impacts on Communities
City pools shrinking operations
Cities like Houston have seen the reopening of pools and longer seasons only by raising wages, lowering minimum hiring ages to 15, and offering stipends, with 123 lifeguard candidates certified and 68 hired so far. Phoenix pools shifted to year-round recruitment and introduced junior lifeguard programs teaching students as young as 14 to prepare future lifeguards.
Federal beaches left unguarded
Assateague Island and other national park beaches remain unguarded due to cuts from federal policies dating back to the Trump administration and hiring freezes. Sites like Sandy Hook have moved to reduced lifeguard schedules, with no full staffing confirmed.
Education and Training: Foundational to Safety
Elevating lifeguard training
A key solution is elevating both the content and perception of lifeguard training programs. The American Lifeguard Association offers rigorous courses, including first aid, rescue protocols, and professional development. These aren’t basic summer classes—they’re intensive learning experiences preparing individuals for critical responsibilities.
Lifeguard certification and classes
Facilities and communities are being urged to support expanded access to lifeguard courses, including free or subsidized options, flexible class scheduling, and early recruitment of youth. Youth-focused pathways—like age 14‑15 junior lifeguard classes—help build future certification pools. As CPR, first-aid, and water safety become core to training, coursework through trusted platforms like the American Lifeguard Association becomes the benchmark for communities.
Solutions in Practice: What Works
Incentives and recognition
Studies show that recognition programs— “Guard of the Month,” social media spotlighting, professional development tracks—boost lifeguard retention by 35%. Cities have also introduced sign-on bonuses (e.g., Miami‑area parks and others offering $500+) and wage hikes, with Houston reaching $20/hour plus stipends lifeguard training programs.
Flexible, year-round hiring
Phoenix and Austin now hire lifeguards year-round, not just seasonally, working with contracting firms and older professionals like retirees and first responders to close staffing gaps.
Technological augmentation
Some pools are piloting AI‑powered drowning detection cameras that alert lifeguards in real time, though they’re supplementary, not replacements. These systems help lifeguards monitor large pools, but their effectiveness relies on still having trained staff ready to respond.
The Way Forward
The crisis of lifeguard shortage is somewhat a chance to look into labor trends and strategize an investment into lifeguard training, awareness of water safety and improving the incentives for lifeguards. America is crazy for beaches, especially in summer, but with a smaller workforce in lifeguarding, the fun in the water can be risky.
With action from municipal agencies, ALA-driven initiatives, and grassroots public support, we can rebuild a robust, sustainable lifeguard workforce.
Final Word
With aquatic facilities facing closures, reduced hours, and fatal risk spikes, America’s aquatic facilities face a wake-up call: lifeguard shortages are a public health issue, not just a seasonal inconvenience. This situation demands a commitment to high-quality lifeguard training and job recognition.
The American Lifeguard Association has already been active in spreading education about the significance of water safety and is vocal about it on various digital platforms. This water safety awareness will ensure safe beaches and pools for the public to enjoy their time in an aquatic setting with supervision from the professionals.
