Utah lifeguard shortage tied to the long reach of COVID-19
Jun 15, 2023, 10:00 AM
FILE: A lifeguard at the Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center watches swimmers at the pool in Kearns in June of 2022. (Mengshin Lin, Deseret News)
(Mengshin Lin, Deseret News)
OGDEN, Utah — Pools across the country are dealing with a lifeguard shortage, and Utah pools are no exception.
Jan Carlson, General Manager at the Ogden Athletic Club told KSL they’ve struggled to hire enough lifeguards ever since life-guard trainings were put on pause because of COVID-19.
Lifeguards, and those training to become a lifeguard, had specific concerns during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Namely, their work put them in direct contact with possible exposure to the virus. There was no way to guarantee they could save a life, and keep themselves safe.
And they didn’t always know if someone was sick, the person themselves may not have known if they’d been exposed to COVID-19.
Carlson said that another reason for the Utah lifeguard shortage is a change — in teenagers. She says they lead busier lives in the summer than in years past.
And the 40-hour certification required to become a lifeguard doesn’t help matters for Utah pools, which in most instances must pay for that training themselves.
These issues, as well as swimming lessons trending downward, lead Carlson to question water safety for future generations.
Related: Need a summer side hustle? Try lifeguarding
