Greensburg offers free lifeguard certification course to boost lagging recruitment

A good lifeguard is hard to find, which is why Greensburg’s recreation department is offering free lifeguard certification courses as a new recruitment tool.

“We had a difficult time in general getting kids to apply for the jobs,” said Trudy Ivory, former recreation facilities manager for the city.

Ivory retired this year but continues to work part time to help the city prepare for the 2021 swimming season at Veterans’ Memorial Pool.

Those interested will be able to take a free lifeguard certification course at The Aerobic Center at Lynch Field in Greensburg. In return, they’ll agree to work at Veterans’ Memorial Pool this summer.

The first round of certification classes were held last week, with five new lifeguards joining the city’s ranks.

“That’s definitely not enough,” Ivory said.

The city can get by with 10 part-time lifeguards, but 12-14 is ideal, Ivory said. Lifeguards are typically teenagers and college students, though adults are welcome to apply. The minimum age for the job is 16.

Students working a summer job usually can’t put in long hours, according to Ivory.

“These kids all have their lives, too, and some of them even have other jobs,” she said.

The Aerobics Center will host the course again in May. It consists of six two-hour sessions.

“That worries me,” Ivory said. “We’re pushing it down to the wire.”

The pool is set to open in June.

Greensburg will pay its lifeguards between $9 and $10 an hour. That’s an increase from the $8.25-$8.75 lifeguards made in 2019, the last year the pool was open.

Lifeguards have been in short supply in Southwestern Pennsylvania for years.

“Talking with other recreation departments in the community, they’re experiencing the same things,” Ivory said.

Lifeguarding certification courses can cost $200 or more — a significant up-front cost for a low-paying, part-time job. Ivory hopes removing that barrier to entry might spark more interest.

The last few years have been complicated for Veterans’ Memorial Pool.

In 2014, the city turned over management of the pool — including the hiring of lifeguards — to the Greensburg YMCA. The city took management back after choosing not to renew the Y’s contract when it expired at the end of 2017.

In 2018, the pool was closed all summer for a major renovation that cost about $987,000. It was open for the 2019 season but closed again all last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I was determined that, this year, we were going to open it,” Ivory said. “I think things are heading in the right direction now.”

Those interested in signing up for the free certification course and working at the city pool can email Ivory at tivory@greensburgpa.org.