L.A. County opens more pools and staffs them with better-paid lifeguards

This Fourth of July, more county pools will be open and more lifeguards will be on duty — for more pay.

That’s music to one local mom’s ears.

For Micaela Ramirez, whose kids are too big for their backyard kiddie pool, the Salazar Park Pool in East Los Angeles is a godsend. It allows 6-year-old Zimori and 9-year-old Jacob to burn off energy. She said they’d gone almost every day since it opened this summer. And this year, they can continue splashing into the fall, if they’d like.

The swimming season at all of L.A. County’s dozens of seasonal pools was extended from the typical 10 weeks to five months, starting from when they opened June 10. And in charge of those pools, open Monday through Saturday, are nearly 600 lifeguards.

Looking to combat a wave of lifeguard shortages across the country, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors earlier this year approved a motion by Supervisor Janice Hahn to increase pay for pool lifeguards by 20%, to between $23.86 and $25.87 per hour.

The supervisors also made becoming a county lifeguard a little easier by easing the test requirements. Applicants were required to swim 300 yards, or about the length of three football fields, in 6½ minutes. Last year, applicants had to swim 500 yards in 10 minutes. The age requirement also was lowered, from 17 to 16 years old.

As of June 14, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation had hired 356 new lifeguards and rehired 224 who were returning, according to Hahn’s office.

Thanks to the robust hiring, this is the first time in five years all L.A. County pools will be in operation, according to the department.

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The summer and all-year schedules for events including Everybody Swims, Lap Swim, Youth Teams, water exercise, swim lessons and night swimming are available through the L.A. County Parks Aquatics website. And for the Fourth of July holiday, pools have extended free swim hours from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2 to 4:30 p.m.

Ramirez, 49, likes what she’s seen at the Salazar pool.

She said lifeguards take turns watching poolgoers and checking the pool water’s chemical levels. It feels safe and clean for her and her children, she said.

“It’s always good. I do recommend it because, No. 1, [the kids] get tired at the end of the day,” she said with a smile. “They make friends, they learn how to swim, and it even helps me, as a parent,” to stay active.

To boost hiring, the Board of Supervisors earlier this year approved a motion to increase pay for pool lifeguards by 20%.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

At a summer pool kickoff event June 14 at Don Knabe Regional Park Pool in Cerritos, Hahn donned a lifeguard uniform.

“Some of our hottest days come in September and October,” said the county supervisor, “but under our old 10-week swim season, our pools were locked up and out of reach of residents by then. That made no sense.

“Now everyone from kids to seniors will be able to make the most of their local pool and everything they offer.”