BUFFALO, N.Y. — The first day of July was also the first day of swimming at four of the City of Buffalo's pools, with a fifth one scheduled to open next week.
For the first time in years, the city is on track to hire a full slate of lifeguards, many of them returning from last year.
The city faced a lifeguard shortage in previous years due to the pandemic.
"This multi-year process where literally we start working on pools and recruiting lifeguards the day after pools close in the summertime has started to pay off," Deputy Commissioner for Parks and Recreation Andy Rabb said at the opening of Centennial Pool on Porter Avenue.
Rabb says they have 80 lifeguards lined up. The job pays $20 per hour and city residents 16 years or older with a lifeguard certification can apply.
"It's a continuously posted position all year round because we do get turnaround," Rabb said. "Some kids leave for college early so positions might open up."
"This is my second year as a lifeguard at Centennial Pool. I honestly love it so much," Natalia Kwacz said, "We end up getting really good bonds with the kids, I know all of these kids and we knew they were going to be back this summer."
It's a fun job and an important one.
"It's a serious job. As I say when we do orientation with the lifeguards, you know, be prepared to save a life. We have rescues that occur every year with our lifeguards," Rabb said. "I have people that come up to me that are like, I worked the pools 20 years ago and it was still one of the best summer jobs I ever had."
"When we get up on those chairs we're serious," Kwacz said. "We're rotating, and we're making sure that everybody's staying safe or making sure we're enforcing the rules, and that everything's running smoothly. Hopefully just like a stubbed toe is the most we're going to deal with this summer."
For the full City of Buffalo pool schedule, click here.
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