Birmingham Parks and Rec seeking lifeguards for upcoming swim season

Training and certification offered
Published: Feb. 8, 2023 at 8:04 PM CST

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - If you’re a good swimmer and have a willingness to help people, Birmingham Parks and Recreation wants you.

They have a desperate need to find lifeguards so they can open more pools this summer. They couldn’t do that last year.

Recreation Superintendent Ronald Hicks said they’re hoping to get a lot of people to apply this year so they can open multiple pools.

You may remember there was a nationwide lifeguard shortage last year which forced some pools to remain closed.

Hicks said the pressure is on to open as many of the city’s 18 pools as possible by Memorial Day.

To do that, Parks and Rec is offering to get those interested in becoming lifeguards fully trained and certified.

Right now, they’re reaching out to local high schools and colleges to get them signed up for the trainings that Hicks hopes can start later this month.

Parks and Rec is also teaming up with the CrossPlex to get people trained.

You’ll need to pass a swimming pre-test, the certification, and drug test.

“A lot of people, when they hear lifeguard, ‘Yeah, I can swim,’ but can you save someone? So, what we want to try and do it is pre-train them and then we also get them an opportunity to get certified. It comes with CPR training as well and as well as the fanny pack, the hat, and the uniform to be ready to go to work,” Hicks explained.

There is a $100 registration fee for the certification.

You must be at least 16 years old to apply, and the pay rate starts around $15 an hour.

For more information, you can contact Terri Sewell at 205-254-2391 or Ronald Hicks at 205-254-2403.

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