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Lifeguards wanted: City of Memphis says lifeguard shortage means fewer public pools open

The city said there is a nationwide shortage of lifeguards, including in Memphis, and they need about 20 more.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The City of Memphis said Thursday a shortage in lifeguards means that some of the public pools won’t be able to open all summer.

The city said there is a nationwide shortage of lifeguards, including in Memphis, and they need about 20 more.

Because of that, for safety reasons, Memphis won’t open as many pools as usual.

Ed Rice, Lester, Raleigh, and Willow pools open Saturday, June 3, 2023. Then in two weeks, Gooch pool will open, but one of the others will close. To decide which pool to shut down, city officials will look at which one has the lowest attendance or most incidents with safety concerns.

The city says it's trying to make fun and safe swim opportunities available for everyone.

“Not only does that provide safe fun opportunities for the citizens of Memphis, it's also how we grow our lifeguards,” said Nick Walker, Parks Director for the City of Memphis. “Having more pools open means getting more kids into the pipeline to become lifeguards.”

There will be a lifeguard class Thursday, June 8, 2023. City officials said lifeguards get paid $15 an hour, the highest in the city. There's a $500 sign on bonus at the end of the summer. Find lifeguard jobs with the City of Memphis HERE.

Learn more about the City of Memphis pools and splash pads HERE.

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