Lifeguard Training In Hazlet, Marlboro Would Stem Shortages

HAZLET, NJ — It's not too early for towns to be planning for summer.

And those with community pools, such as Hazlet and Marlboro, are trying to stem the lifeguard shortage that has hit public recreation since the pandemic by encouraging lifeguard certification programs to keep swim clubs staffed.

So if water is your element, you may want to consider getting certified.

The shortage of lifeguards has been an ongoing issue, says the American Lifeguard Association.

Last summer, about a third of the country’s 309,000 public swimming pools remained closed or opened sporadically because of the lifeguard shortage, the organization said. As in many areas, pandemic restrictions reduced the numbers of those being trained.

But the tide may be turning, thanks to free or reimbursed training and other incentives being offered by communities, said Wyatt Werneth, national spokesman for the American Lifeguard Association.

"There's a lot of optimism this year," he said, adding that "a great trend has been waiving training fees."

Those interested in lifeguarding still have to pay upfront fees in many cases, but towns are offering some reimbursement to make the job more attractive.

In Hazlet, for example, the American Red Cross Lifeguard certification course (good for two years) is the first step to getting a job at Hazlet Swim Club this summer. Hazlet lifeguards must be ages 15-plus.

Lifeguards in Hazlet will get $200 back in September if they work through the summer. As a further incentive, Hazlet is offering a bonus of $2 additional per hour for lifeguards who are willing to cover shifts or work weekends.

Here is a rundown of what to do to get a lifeguard job in Hazlet:

• Feb. 3: Take the Lifeguard Certification Pre-Test. The swimming skills test must be passed prior to taking the Certification part of the course. Fee is $100.
• Feb. 3: Deadline to complete the online portion of the Lifeguard Certification Course. Fee is $40.

Complete the In-Person Certification Course (three classes). Fee is $300:

• Feb. 3, 2 p.m.to 7 p.m., Old Bridge Family YMCA.
• Feb. 8, 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Cullen Center in Hazlet.
• Feb. 10: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Old Bridge Family YMCA.

The township flyer describing the steps toward certification has more details about costs and other matters and is on the township Summer Employment page. Register under the Programs tab at Hazlet.Recdesk.com.

In Marlboro, there are two, two-day sessions being offered by the New Jersey Lifeguard Association in June. Refer to the site training schedule for 2024 here. The cost is $385, according to the site.

Marlboro will reimburse 50 percent of the training fee after completion of work at the swim club this summer, said a township recreation leader, Jani Rubin. She said if the lifeguard comes back for a second summer in 2025, there is an additional 50 percent reimbursement.

The national lifeguarding spokesman, Werneth, based in Cocoa Beach, Fla., discussed some of the qualities that make a good lifeguard. The main classifications of lifeguard are open water, pool and theme park levels, he added.

Water should be a lifeguard's element, Werneth said, and the person must be a strong swimmer.

But equally important is being observant and "preventative-minded," he said, picking up on anything that isn't right even before someone cries out in alarm.