It wasn’t too long ago that the Butler Eagle was reporting on lifeguard shortages.

The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and summer was in full force just four short years ago, but lifeguards weren’t lining up to keep the pools where Butler County families wanted to swim safe.

During the summer of 2021, we reported on how the Town Park Pool and Cranberry Township Waterpark temporarily cut back on hours after seeing fewer lifeguards return for the summer job.

Since then, the county has actively taken steps to keep its lifeguard numbers up.

The latest came at a meeting last week with the salary board approving incentives for all lifeguards.

These incentives include that lifeguards can receive an additional $200 if they teach at least three sessions of swimming lessons, receive $200 for working at least 10 lane rental sessions and receive $500 for working more than 300 hours and working the entire pool season.

The idea? To keep the lifeguards for the entirety of the season.

Lance Welliver, the county’s parks and recreation director, said at the meeting that many lifeguards leave before the last few weeks of the swimming season to get ready to return to high school or college, and only 10% to 15% stay for the entire season.

Lead lifeguards are to be paid $14 an hour, and other lifeguards are to be paid $12.50 an hour this summer.

Applications are being accepted now for Alameda Pool lifeguards.

Here’s hoping that we’ll see those spots filled this season.

— TL