CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Some suburban park districts are offering incentives to get young people to staff pools and beaches with lifeguards, as the official start of summer is just a day away.
Managers for some park districts said they’ve never seen a shortage of lifeguards like they’re seeing this year.
The Dundee Park District is among those looking for lifeguards.
Mike Eschenbach, the Aquatics and Athletics Manager, said look at any downtown area in the suburbs.
"Everybody's got 'Help Wanted' signs out, so we're all fighting for the same people," he said.
Although he draws a distinction between working outside all summer at a pool and working at a store or a restaurant.
"It's a fun job, it's an outside job, and it's a chance to work with your friends and make some lifelong memories," he said.
Dundee is among those that will start the season with abbreviated hours, so they can properly staff the pools. They're offering $50 for referrals that lead to new hires.
He said the pandemic is the cause of the shortage. There have been changes in school and sports schedules, so people may not be thinking about a lifeguard job, he said. And there's training - about 20-hours to get certified.
Dave Benjamin runs the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, and trains lifeguards.
"I think a big part of it (the shortage) is we had the pandemic," he said. "Last year a lot of the pools and beaches were not open, so they did not need lifeguards."
Some people moved on to do other things.
Benjamin also noted that certification lasts for two years. There was no training last year, so some would need to get up-to-date.
The Chicago Park District has had issues finding enough lifeguards, as well. Although a spokesperson said all 22 beaches in the city will be staffed starting Friday.
The Chicago Park District is still hiring lifeguards and has hundreds of positions open.
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