Philadelphia Hiring Lifeguards Who Can't Swim

If a lifeguard saves you in Philly, they may be wearing water wings.

The city is in such desperate need of lifeguards for their municipal pools they are willing to accept candidates that don’t know how to swim, according to Philadelphia magazine.

Officials say they will provide swimming lessons to applicants who are aquatic newbies.

While the idea that their lives may be in the hands of a rookie swimmer may make some bathers nervous, city parks officials tried to downplay the report.

Department Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell told The Post. “I wouldn’t say they can’t swim, they just can’t pass our screening test.

The city needs 400 lifeguards to operate its 60+ public pools.

Philadelphia is not the only city drowning in concern over the lifeguard shortage.

The American Lifeguard Association said in June that the shortage is affecting about a third of the nation’s public pools.

New York City also contended with a dearth of lifeguards last year. Only 26 percent of last year’s 900 lifeguard job applicants passed the city’s lifeguard training program test.

https://nypost.com/2023/01/24/philadelphia-needs-lifeguards-so-theyre-hiring-non-swimmers/

Philly Is So Desperate for Lifeguards That It’s Recruiting People Who Can’t Swim

A Philadelphia lifeguard watches over a public pool in Philadelphia

Desperate for Lifeguards, Philly Says It’s OK If Interested Candidates Can’t Swim

It may be the middle of winter now. But before you know it, Memorial Day will be here, the kids will get out of school, and they’ll need something to do all day other than get on your nerves. That’s where Philadelphia’s dozens of public pools come in. And what do you need if you have a public pool? Lifeguards, of course.

For the 2023 pool season in Philadelphia, the city has started recruiting early. And if you can’t swim, you can still apply. That’s right. According to representatives of the city’s Parks & Recreation Department I spoke with, the city is actively recruiting lifeguard candidates who would sink like a stone if you threw them in the deep end today. The city will provide free swimming lessons at Lincoln High School in Mayfair to anybody who doesn’t know how to swim.

https://www.phillymag.com/news/2023/01/24/philadelphia-lifeguards-public-pools/