The City of El Paso needs lifeguards

EL PASO, Texas- With summer on the way, the City of El Paso's aquatic facilities will be filling up.

The only problem is they have close to 90 lifeguards and are in need of over 100 more.

Pool Manager Paola Mendez said, “Currently, yes, the city is looking at a shortage of lifeguards. Since the pandemic, we have lost a lot.”

City officials told ABC-7 that in order to apply to become a lifeguard, you must pass rigorous swimming tests and also be certified in life-saving skills.

If you would like to learn to become a lifeguard, the City offers the class, but you have to pay for it.

"$217 dollars, we do have an additional fee like another fee that we can charge $67, but they have to apply to work for the city,” Aquatics Divison Manager Brenda Romero added.

The City is paying $11.17 an hour and also offers tuition reimbursement for college students.

Romero shared, “If they are fully certified, once they apply, we do the interview. We are moving pretty fast because the goal is to open Memorial Day weekend.”