Tulsa Pools Fully Staffed On Lifeguards Despite Shortage In The Spring

The City of Tulsa parks department says they are having a successful summer at city pools despite having trouble finding lifeguards at the start of the season.

Tulsa said it has 22 lifeguards working at each of the four open pools.

"This yea,r we are able to stay at one pool which is nice, last year we didn't have enough people so I was having to go from one to the other to the other," said lifeguard Sydney Barnett.

This is Sydney Barnett's second year working as lifeguard for the city.

She says it's been a busy summer, but they have more workers than last year and there haven't been any issues.

"Overall, we definitely have enough, I feel okay about it," she said.

Nick Pond with the City of Tulsa says they would have about 35 lifeguards with a full staff, but with 22, they can make it work.

He says McClure and Lacy pools are open every day of the week except one and only Whiteside and Berry pools have to alternate days.

"It would be nice to have a couple more here so their breaks would be longer, or to help with cleaning, but to open the pool to the public, bare bones kind of thing, 22 is working," Pond said.

He says the summer has been flying by and the crowds haven't been too bad as temperatures rise.

"The crowds have been bad on the weekends of course, but it's so hot, that people aren't even wanting to go outside, so it's not as busy as it should be," Pond said.

He says the pools will stay open until early August.