With modest pay and rigorous workouts, it's tough to find qualified lifeguards -- and even tougher to keep them all summer -- beach patrol officials say.
By mid-August, many lifeguards will quit their jobs to return to school, leaving parks, beaches and private pools struggling to keep full staffs in the waning weeks of summer.
"It's a lifelong problem for all clubs, and you just learn to regroup your people and hopefully keep your staff happy enough that they want to stay and help you get through it," said Kathy Angstadt, vice president of Padonia Park Club in Padonia.
For lifeguards who will work through the last three weeks of the season, Baltimore County's Department of Recreation and Parks is offering a bonus of $2 to $2.25 more an hour at the county's three beaches.
But Oregon Ridge lifeguard Sarah Ensor says she's headed back to Washington College in mid-August to work on her senior thesis.
"That's a little bit more important than a couple extra dollars," said Ensor, 20, of White Hall.
Having anticipated that many lifeguards will feel as Ensor does, the county will continue to hire new lifeguards who would be eligible for the bonus in addition to the standard pay of $7.54 an hour, said Bud Chrismer, manager of enterprise facilities for the recreation department.
"We're always looking for more people and better candidates," he said.
But the county is in a much better position this year than last, when it had to close Miami Beach Park because of too few lifeguards.
"I think we've managed to avoid the bullet," Chrismer said.
Rehoboth Beach, Del., and Ocean City didn't have the same kind of luck. Ocean City couldn't fill its 120 lifeguard posts until July 5, about three weeks later than usual, said 1st Lt. Skip Lee ofOcean City Beach Patrol.
"We met our need, but it took a lot longer this year," Lee said. "I had a lot of difficulty this time finding qualified people."
Although Rehoboth Beach officials managed to hire its typical staff of 42 lifeguards, they anticipate losing one-third to one-half by mid-
August, said Capt. Jate Walsh of Rehoboth Beach Patrol. When that happens, the patrol leaves parts of the beach unguarded, but posts signs telling swimmers to swim at their own risk.
"It's a shame, but it's the thing we're all stuck with," Walsh said.
To avoid being short-staffed next year, Ocean City Beach Patrol is conducting lifeguard tests next month instead of waiting until February as it normally does.
