TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – As the official start to summer approaches, the City of Tallahassee is working to hire additional lifeguards to staff its seven community pools amid a nationwide lifeguard shortage.<\/p>\n
According to the American Lifeguard Association, staffing shortages have forced some beaches and pools across Florida to reduce operating hours or close temporarily. Fewer lifeguards can also affect swimmer safety and emergency response times.<\/p>\n
City of Tallahassee Aquatics Superintendent Leslie Adams said the city routinely hires a large number of lifeguards each summer and applications are open for more.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always hire a lot of lifeguards each summer because we want to make sure we\u2019re able to staff all of our pools for people to be safe when they come to the pool. It\u2019s just that added layer of protection to make sure someone is on duty all the time,\u201d Adams said.<\/p>\n
More Tallahassee News<\/p>\n
Training and certification requirements can deter potential lifeguards, contributing to ongoing staffing shortages, according to case studies done by the American Lifeguard Association. <\/p>\n
To combat that, the City of Tallahassee offers training for those interested in joining the team.<\/p>\n
Applicants must register for in-person training sessions and pass a prerequisite swimming skills assessment before becoming certified.<\/p>\n
The city has one remaining certification class scheduled for this weekend. More information is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n To keep up with the latest news as it develops, follow WCTV on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> <\/a>and X<\/a> (Twitter<\/a>).<\/p>\n Have a news tip or see an error? Write to us here<\/a>. Please include the article\u2019s headline in your message.<\/p>\n Be the first to see all the biggest headlines by downloading the WCTV News app. Click here<\/a> to get started.<\/p>\n Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n