Lifeguard shortage, weather offer challenges to Nebraska pools
WAYNE, Neb. -- Pools in Nebraska are facing different challenges this summer. While severe weather has been limited, lifeguard shortages continue to linger for some pools.
"It's just all we've known this summer," Assistant Manager Molly Hoskins said.
The Wayne Community Activity Center pool is facing a lifeguard shortage, worse than they have ever seen before, pool manager Terran Sievers said.
"Some ways that we are dealing with the lifeguard shortage here at the Wayne Aquatic Center is on the days we are short staffed we close the water slide so that we're able to free up a couple of guards, so that we have the three designated spots," Sievers said.
While dealing with the lifeguard shortage, Sievers has thought about how to prevent something like this.
"There is no major way to prevent it, other than if you were to teach lifeguard classes throughout the summer. It will still be pretty hard to find people to work halfway through the summer"
The Wayne Community Activity Center has come up with a new rule to help run the pool efficiently.
"Something that affects us here is that we have a new rule that says we have to have five kids in the water, there could be four kids at the pool but we will not open until there's that fifth kid."
The weather in Nebraska is always changing, and it is hard to predict summer temperatures.
"We just play it by ear, back in the guard house we have the weather pulled up, keep an eye on the radar and the sky whenever the guards are out here," Sievers said.
Hoskins said that they have been fully prepared for whatever weather this summer throws at them.
"We can't really prepare for it, we can watch the weather as much as we want but it's Nebraska so you never know what you're going to get. We have jackets, we have sweatpants, we have it all ready for us whenever we need it."
The changing temperatures have affected the poolgoers and the lifeguards.
"We have had a lot of hot days this summer which makes for long days for us guards but when were busy the days go by a lot faster. The hotter it is, the more kids we have usually," Hoskins said.