It has been a really bad year for parents of young children in the Houston area that enjoy to swim. The public swimming pools in the Houston area have had a really difficult time finding enough lifeguards to keep the public pools open for city residents. I wrote a short blog article about this problem back in June. Well, this problem has persisted, and now here at the end of the year, this problem was worse than I originally thought it was. Houston’s lifeguard shortage continues and probably will for a few more of the coming years.
A Quick Recap on Houston’s Lifeguard Shortage
Earlier in the year, I reported to you that the Houston area started out the year with 30 returning lifeguards. On most years in the past, this number had been 150. A total number of 180 lifeguards are normally used to safely secure all of Houston’s public pools.
There simply has not been enough lifeguards to safely open all of Houston’s public swimming pools. Houston has 37 public swimming pools and only 12 – 14 of them have been open to the public. And, most of these have been open only for a few staggered hours.
The city has been aggressively recruiting. They have been offering large bonuses for new recruits and they have increased the minimum wage for new recruits to $19 per hour. Private pools are offering even more!
The problem is that there simply aren’t enough people out there who are looking for jobs. It is not just a Houston problem… it is a national problem!
The city of Houston has already started recruiting for the 2023 season. Next year’s recruiting efforts normally start in November. This year, it started even earlier!
Don’t take Chances, Enroll Your Children at Life Saver Survival Swim School
These are some of the reasons why all Houston parents should be concerned enough about their children to make sure that they learn to float and/or swim. It is hot here in the Houston area. That is why many of us live here.
However, when it is hot, you know your young children are going to be drawn towards those cool, blue waters. Please make sure that you have done everything that you can to protect your children – teach them to float and swim in any body of water. Don’t rely upon a lifesaver always being present.
Life Savers Survival Swim School primary focus is to teach young children, 6-months and older, to float and swim. The owner’s name is Bonnie, and if you have questions, give her a call at (832) 366-3008. Or, you can email her.