and the upcoming holiday weekend means thousands of new jerseyans and tourists will flock to the beaches and pools to cool down but in some cases there may be new swimming restrictions fewer swimming days and shorter hours all because of a growing lifeguard shortage in our state last year New Jersey set up a Statewide program to recruit teenagers to become lifeguards but in its second year the state is still struggling to fill the gaps Ted Goldberg is in Ocean County where at least one beach has already banned swimming due to a lack of lifeguards New Jersey's lifeguard shortage hasn't affected beaches in Belmar The Shore town has a veteran group of 96 lifeguards many of them joining the beach Patrol years ago this is the best office there is it's always nice to come down here it's almost relaxing um you know it doesn't feel like work because there's always so much entertainment and action going on when I was younger I was like I can work on the beach this is so fun to get tan hang out but and I was a swimmer so I signed my college I said I'm in high school and I figured maybe put my skills to like actual work like do something with my swimming abilities Chief lifeguard Harry harson says it wasn't too difficult putting the staff together since 90 of the lifeguards came back from last year he says some of the credit can go to Belmar bumping up its pay lifeguards there start at 16.50 an hour two bucks more than last summer with the salaries being you know much more attractive now we're getting some better qualified candidates the people that want to put the effort into to to become an ocean cardson has heard from people in other communities who haven't been as fortunate a river beach in Ocean City has banned swimming this summer because of a lack of lifeguards and some pools Statewide are limiting their hours it takes a lot of effort to become a lifeguard there's a lot of physical training you have to be certified in CPR first aid AED you have to be a people person but there's a lot of physicality to it um so some people still want to put in the effort anymore and it's sad to say that but they'd rather do something or do nothing David Coates trains lifeguards at Elite Tactical Academy and says covid played a factor in limiting lifeguarding courses leading to fewer certified lifeguards once the pandemic ended the pandemic years took a toll on the individual departments and agencies and it's there's a challenge getting things going again I think they're they're we're finally starting to see that come through coach says it's a shame because people who become lifeguards pick up skills they might not at at other summer jobs whether it's the life-saving part of lifeguarding or the leadership role or the personal responsibility that it teaches you I really believe lifeguarding is separate and apart from many of the other jobs that young people start in and it really gives them a huge stepping stone to the rest of their lives meanwhile at Island Beach State Park more pay has also led to more people wanting to become lifeguards our situation is unique so recruiting lifeguards was difficult and again our pay wasn't the greatest in the past this this last couple of years it's been great lifeguard pay at Island beach now starts at 18.50 an hour as they compete with nearby towns for labor Captain Chip Bruce also introduced a training program for 15 year olds they earn 16 an hour while learning how to rescue and Patrol the beach they got to train the entire summer they're not allowed to lifeguard in an active lifeguarding role but they learn the uh tools of the trade I guess you'd say last year there were 10 15 year olds who signed up for lifeguard training they all passed their qualification and now they're all working as lifeguards here at Island Beach State Park this summer there are nine trainees hoping to work as lifeguards as soon as next summer it's the model you would say is very similar to Athletics where we're grooming our junior varsity to join the varsity and I think that model is a great model that seems to be working I guess time will tell a model that might be replicated by other communities hoping to hire lifeguards and protect swimmers on the Jersey Shore I'm Ted Goldberg NJ Spotlight news [Music] [Music]