NYC Swim Programs Cut Amid 'Lifeguard Shortage,' Outcry Splashes Up

NEW YORK CITY — Swimming programs likely will sink away from New York City's pools this summer, officials said.

A "national lifeguard shortage" prompted city parks officials to cancel swim programs, including lap swim, senior swim, and Learn to Swim, at outdoor pools, they announced in a Tuesday tweet.

The decision caused a big splash among New Yorkers, especially as such pools are vital for underserved communities during hot summer days and help youngsters learn to swim.

"We are surrounded by water!" tweeted @Veronica_iLse. "I know it’s expensive but what is more important than teaching kids how to survive in water they will most certainly swim in eventually."

Mayor Eric Adams, during a Wednesday appearance on NY1, agreed and noted that two 13-year-old boys in Queens died last week after they fell into Jamaica Bay.

He said he'd talk to parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue about finding a "creative" way to bring back swimming instruction.

"We have to have young people learn how to swim," he said.

But Adams also noted a "major problem" across the nation with lifeguard shortages.

The shortage can be broadly pinned on the combined effects of current low unemployment and two years of COVID-19 restrictions that cut into lifeguard training, the New York Times reported.

New York City, however, has some specific problems.

The lifeguard division has been beset by decades of systemic mismanagement and dysfunction, a blistering report released in December by the city's investigative agency found.

And there have been hints for months that a potential lifeguard shortage could affect swim programs this summer.

A cut to adult lap swim was first reported by Hell Gate in May, for instance.

As New Yorkers learned this week about the swimming program cuts, they weren't happy.

"This narrative is a deflection so as to not admit that the city, once again, wasn’t proactive," tweeted @ErasmaTambora.

"'National lifeguard shortage' is a funny way of saying 'criminally mismanaged municipal budgets,'" tweeted @see_dub.

"Everything's a trade-off. They may miss out on free swim lessons but they will gain the opportunity to die by drowning," tweeted @AndyJBoyd.

Despite the likely cuts to swim programs, outdoor pools will remain open this summer for general swim each day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., officials said.

Due to the national lifeguard shortage, unfortunately we will not be hosting swim programs, including lap swim, senior swim, and Learn to Swim, at our outdoor pools this summer. Outdoor pools will remain open each day for general swim from 11am-3pm and from 4pm–7pm.
— NYC Parks (@NYCParks) June 14, 2022