In some places, public pools start opening around Memorial Day. The weather these days suggests that would be a great idea here too — but we don’t even have enough staffing for the season we’ve got (which starts 6/20-ish).

Do you know anyone who could work as a lifeguard this summer? As long as they’re going to be 16 by the time pools open, age does not matter. Parks & Rec has upped the pay to $13.65/hour. And are still — with only a few weeks to go — running a couple of training courses.

I was super intimidated when I went to the Sayre-Morris Rec Center for lifeguard screening in the spring of 2013. I wasn’t sure I could pass. I wasn’t sure any pool would want to hire me.

I did not understand that the City is desperate for lifeguards.

If you are a decent swimmer, you can pass the screening. (If you’re not a decent swimmer now, it may be too late for this summer, but talk to staff at the screening site about practicing — for free — to prepare for next summer.)

And there are jobs. All over the city.

Info on how to get screened (and therefore in line for a job placement) is here.

And if you want encouragement or advice, I’d be glad to offer either. I don’t work as a lifeguard anymore (though I do have a non-pool-related City job, which lifeguarding put me on a path to). But I love nothing more than our pools in the summer, and the lifeguard shortage is one of the biggest threats to their future.

So really: Do you know anyone?