PHIPPSBURG, Maine — As Mainers gear up for the summer season, some beaches and pools are still struggling to find enough lifeguards to hire.
At Popham Beach State Park, lifeguard coordinator Sean Vaillancourt recruitment has been tough over the past couple of years, not only for his corner of Maine but for beaches statewide.
"It's always been a challenge to recruit lifeguards throughout the season," Vaillancourt said. "I think I say this every year. This year feels a little bit more drastic than others, but I've had a lot less people reaching out."
Vaillancourt has since reached out to local schools for any takers and even has plans to create a junior lifeguard program. The starting wage for a lifeguard position at Popham Beach State Park is $15 dollars an hour.
Training lifeguards is another piece of the puzzle. Right now, Vaillancourt said he is able to train anyone willing to try out to be a lifeguard for the state.
At the Bath YMCA, courses for lifeguard certification are also available alongside other incentives, such as a free YMCA membership.
"[We mix] it up from the traditional weekend class and really intensive to spreading it out over a longer period of time, so that people can put in the time," Chief Operating Officer Amy Vendt said. "[Lifeguarding] teaches such valuable skills that you can take with you everywhere. There are pools just about everywhere."
This isn't just a problem for Maine.
Vaillancourt said he recently attended a conference with other lifeguard leaders from Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts who are also facing the same shortage.
With only four lifeguards on deck for Popham Beach this year, Vaillancourt encourages anyone interested to reach out to either the state park system or your local municipality.
"I joke about this a lot, but I think we need to bring 'Baywatch' back," Vaillancourt said. "It's kind of cheesy at times, but I think it really shined a light on what lifeguards do and the importance of their jobs."