This Fourth of July, extra county swimming pools can be open and extra lifeguards can be on responsibility — for extra pay.
That’s music to at least one native mother’s ears.
For Micaela Ramirez, whose children are too large for his or her yard kiddie pool, the Salazar Park Pool in East Los Angeles is a godsend. It permits 6-year-old Zimori and 9-year-old Jacob to burn off power. She stated they’d gone nearly on daily basis because it opened this summer time. And this yr, they’ll proceed splashing into the autumn, in the event that they’d like.
The swimming season in any respect of L.A. County’s dozens of seasonal swimming pools was prolonged from the everyday 10 weeks to 5 months, ranging from after they opened June 10. And in control of these swimming pools, open Monday by means of Saturday, are almost 600 lifeguards.
Trying to fight a wave of lifeguard shortages throughout the nation, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors earlier this yr authorized a movement by Supervisor Janice Hahn to extend pay for pool lifeguards by 20%, to between $23.86 and $25.87 per hour.
The supervisors additionally made turning into a county lifeguard just a little simpler by easing the take a look at necessities. Candidates have been required to swim 300 yards, or concerning the size of three soccer fields, in 6½ minutes. Final yr, candidates needed to swim 500 yards in 10 minutes. The age requirement additionally was lowered, from 17 to 16 years outdated.
As of June 14, the Los Angeles County Division of Parks and Recreation had employed 356 new lifeguards and rehired 224 who have been returning, in line with Hahn’s workplace.
Due to the sturdy hiring, that is the primary time in 5 years all L.A. County swimming pools can be in operation, in line with the division.
The summer time and all-year schedules for occasions together with Everyone Swims, Lap Swim, Youth Groups, water train, swim classes and night time swimming can be found by means of the L.A. County Parks Aquatics web site. And for the Fourth of July vacation, swimming pools have prolonged free swim hours from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and a couple of to 4:30 p.m.
Ramirez, 49, likes what she’s seen on the Salazar pool.
She stated lifeguards take turns watching poolgoers and checking the pool water’s chemical ranges. It feels secure and clear for her and her kids, she stated.
“It’s at all times good. I do suggest it as a result of, No. 1, [the kids] get drained on the finish of the day,” she stated with a smile. “They make buddies, they learn to swim, and it even helps me, as a mother or father,” to remain energetic.
To spice up hiring, the Board of Supervisors earlier this yr authorized a movement to extend pay for pool lifeguards by 20%.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Occasions)
At a summer time pool kickoff occasion June 14 at Don Knabe Regional Park Pool in Cerritos, Hahn donned a lifeguard uniform.
“A few of our hottest days are available in September and October,” stated the county supervisor, “however below our outdated 10-week swim season, our swimming pools have been locked up and out of attain of residents by then. That made no sense.
“Now everybody from children to seniors will be capable of take advantage of their native pool and every little thing they provide.”
