CORNELIUS, N.C. — A local beach in Mecklenburg County is set to re-open in early July, and county leaders are crediting financial incentives for getting lifeguards back in the stands.
Terri Stowers, director of Community and Recreation Services for the county, told WCNC Charlotte on Wednesday the reopening of the beach at Ramsey Creek Park in Cornelius could happen sooner than later, specifically in early July. The quick re-opening of the beach comes after county leaders first reported a shortage of lifeguards seen nationwide had also hit Mecklenburg County.
Toward the end of May, WCNC Charlotte learned the American Lifeguard Association was reporting the shortage. The ALA trains more than 300,000 lifeguards across the country typically, but pools across the country were facing shortages of willing lifeguards, both before the COVID-19 pandemic and during. In fact, the ALA said the issue persisted for about a decade.
However, Mecklenburg County decided to try something new with pandemic restrictions lifting in order to reopen local pools and beaches: a $500 signing bonuses and wages boosted up to $15 per hour. Stowers tells us the bonus and increased wages paid off.
"I get a report each Wednesday from our recruiting team. Last Wednesday, within the week when we started doing the $15 an hour with a $500 bonus, we were able to do 38 swim tests." Stowers said. "We had 38 individuals pass swim tests."
Now, human resource packets are being sent off, and those 38 people will be able to get to work after three weeks of training, which includes two weeks of shadowing, background checks, and drug tests. For Stowers, this means more lifeguards will stick around.
"We have lost 30 lifeguards in the spring to go to other companies. Now we’re able to retain the lifeguards we have," said Stowers.
When WCNC Charlotte first reported about the lifeguard shortage a few weeks ago, the county was still working on filling 247 positions and had by then filled 86 positions. Anyone aged 16 and older interested in becoming a lifeguard can email lifeguards@mecknc.gov or call 980-314-1159 for details.