Wrangell Parks and Recreation officials say more certified lifeguards are needed to keep community swimming programs running on a regular schedule.

Parks and Recreation Coordinator Devyn Johnson said residents often ask why certain swim activities are not available. The answer, she said, usually comes down to staffing.

“If we don’t have lifeguards, then the pool can’t be open,” Johnson said. “There has to be a lifeguard on duty for any of those activities.”

To address the shortage, the department will offer an in-person lifeguard certification course Jan. 8-11.

The course is open to anyone age 15 or older. Johnson said it can be a good part-time job option before or after school or work. It also offers a way to earn extra income while meeting new people and serving the community.

“There is a cost of $150 up front, but you get reimbursed that amount after you have worked with us for a while,” she said. “Plus, you get a free facility membership if you work with us, so there’s some good value to it.”

The class includes an online learning portion with multiple videos.

“We would like it if everyone could do the online portion before the in-person class,” Johnson said.

Scheduling of pool hours is a constant challenge, she said, because many lifeguards have other jobs.

“Most of our lifeguards have other employment, and it can be difficult to commit beyond a certain amount of time,” she said. “I would say that we have lost maybe half of our certified lifeguards in the past year.”

The swimming pool was closed for part of the summer for renovation work. Since it reopened in August, Johnson said it has been hard to maintain the number of lifeguards needed.

“Right now we have about nine lifeguards, and (Parks and Rec Director) Lucy Robinson and I serve as lifeguards, too,” she said. “Ideally, having six more would do a lot to make sure we could fully staff all the scheduled pool activities.

“The winter months are our peak usage months for the pool and the other facilities. We can only stretch our existing staff so far.”

For more information or to register for the lifeguard course, visit www.wrangellrec.com.