Chicago Park District Is Running Out of Lifeguard Staff
Lifeguards are extremely important and crucial in all public pool locations, especially during the summer. Summer is the time when most people enjoy time with their families in public pools. This is why the Chicago Park District should have enough lifeguards for the safety of the public. Also, for everyone to safely have a good and fun time.
However, the Chicago Park District is going through a shortage of lifeguards in outdoor and indoor pools. The reason being that they are all going to the beaches for about a month in the city of Chicago. Due to this shortage in lifeguard staff, there will be multiple pool closures across the city of Chicago.
The Amount of Time That the Public Pools Will Be Shut Down
The Chicago Park District will be conducting temporary closures. The good news is that they will not be shut down permanently. They will be only temporarily shut down until the lifeguard’s staff from the Chicago Park District has enough of them to reassign them to public inside and outside pools. However, as of right now in the month of May, they have been officially shut down because the lifeguards have been reassigned to move to work in distinctive Chicago beaches. Something additionally that is concerning as well is that even Chicago beaches are struggling to have enough lifeguards on duty.
There is an expectation to reopen them on June 23. This is the goal of the Chicago Park District if there are enough lifeguards staff. If the Chicago Park District does not recruit enough lifeguards and train them to be able to get a position in multiple pool areas, these goals might have to be extended. This, however, definitely affects a lot of people and the swimming programs that there are being provided for the public because of these closures.
How Is This Lifeguard Shortage Affecting Society in Chicago?
Not having enough lifeguard staff is definitely affecting the communities of Chicago. There are people that are enrolled in swimming programs like the “Spring Aquatics pool program.” That specific program has unfortunately ended for this season.
In fact, last year, officials opened fewer than half of its neighborhood pools because of a persistent lifeguard shortage, and openings were delayed from June 24 all the way to July 5. Even officials also closed parts of some beaches to shift lifeguards to pools. This shortage is causing impacts and for sure delaying openings, because of how persistent it is becoming.
For the Chicago Park District, it seems like this issue keeps getting worse and worse because throughout the years there continues to be a persistent shortage. This is a problem that needs attention and now, fortunately, the Chicago Park District is doing something about it by actually making changes that positively impact the number of lifeguards.
Incentives From the City to Recruit More Lifeguards
A majority of pools in the city of Chicago will be shutting down for approximately a month. Due to them having to move to work at the beaches, the city of Chicago is now taking steps and taking action to address this issue of lifeguard shortage. Now they are providing incentives to those individuals that apply to become a lifeguard. In order to attract and recruit more people to this job. Especially since it is having a major shortage this summer.
There are a variety of different benefits, one of them being a starting bonus. This bonus is $600 which definitely catches the eye of people. Also, some of the other benefits are that they are expanding training and waiving a certification fee. They are even offering free Chicago Fire soccer tickets and also Divvy memberships.
Written by Jeanette Sanchez
Sources:
ABC7: Chicago Park District ramps up summer lifeguard recruitment to keep city pools, beaches open
Block Club Chicago: Park District Closing Indoor Pools For At Least A Month As Some Lifeguards Head To Beaches by Quinn Myers
Block Club Chicago: When Will Chicago’s Pools Open? Park District Says June 23, If There Are Enough Lifeguards
The Chicago Crusader: Park District takes steps to address lifeguard shortage
N’DIGO: Will 28 Pools In Black Wards Close This Summer?
WBBM Newsradio: Chicago Park District closes all indoor pools, insists it’s temporary
Featured Image Courtesy of Mark Pazolli‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Jazz Guy‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
