PIQUA — The Miami County YMCAs are looking to certify individuals as lifeguards who are interested in year-round employment.
“Many of the summer lifeguards returned to colleges so facilities are looking to bring in new lifeguards,” Robinson branch Aquatic Director Leia Lander said. “This transition happens every year, but with many places not teaching classes this summer, facilities are still short-staffed heading into this year. Starting now to build the supply of lifeguards in the community helps our outdoor pools in the summer as well.”
The course in October will run for three weeks beginning Oct. 6 from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and will be taught by Carrie Slater, Troy Aquatic Park manager. Registration deadline for this course is Sept. 29. The next course will run the first two weekends in November beginning Nov. 6 through 8 and continue Nov. 13 through 15. Classes will be held from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and 2 to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Registration deadline for the November course will be Oct. 30.
“The week prior deadline is to give the students time to complete all the online work for the course that is required,” said Donn Shade, aquatic director at the Piqua branch. “It’s a lot of online work about the basics of lifeguarding and preliminary introductions to the other three certifications. We find candidates do best with the week prior deadline for registration to get [all the online work] completed by the first day of class.”
Those interested in the course can register at either Miami County YMCA branch during normal business hours. Those with additional questions are asked to contact Leia Lander at 937-440-9622 or [email protected].
“We are doing extra sanitation for classes and asking participants to wear facial coverings for the classroom instruction portions of the course,” Lander said. “For safety reasons, we are not requiring participants to wear facial coverings in the water. We hope to get a few more lifeguards to keep staffing levels up at our own pools as well as those throughout the county area.”
