City of Tulsa needs lifeguards so they can open 9 city pools next weekend

Tulsa's city pools are short of lifeguards. The city plans to open the pools next Saturday, but that's only if enough lifeguards can be found in the next week. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter Ashli

Saturday, June 4th 2005, 7:15 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa's city pools are short of lifeguards. The city plans to open the pools next Saturday, but that's only if enough lifeguards can be found in the next week.

News on 6 reporter Ashli Sims says the city finally got enough money to open nine pools. Now opening day could be put on hold for some of those pools because of a lifeguard shortage.

Dozens of lifeguards brushed up on their life saving skills Saturday at McClure Park on East 7th Street. Nine of the city's 22 pools are slated to open this summer, including the one at McClure Park.

The city needs 40 lifeguards to supervise summer swimming fun and they're short by about eleven. Each lifeguard has to complete 32 hours of training over several days to be certified. And the city has boosted the salary to more than $8 an hour to try to lure more lifeguard candidates.

If you're a senior in high school or a college student in town for the summer, Tulsa Mayor Bill LaFortune is asking for your help. "I'm making an appeal to you to call the Parks Department and see if you can get the training. Because we have pools ready to open and we literally can't open because of the lifeguard situation."

The number for the city parks department is 596-PARK, that's 596-7275. They say they will be training lifeguards all week long to get ready for Saturday's opening. So it's not too late.