The city of Houston has long faced challenges in opening its public pools, a struggle intensified by a lifeguard shortage stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This shortage led to the closure of many public pools, denying thousands of families a safe and accessible place to swim in a city where summer temperatures frequently soar above 100 degrees.
However, a promising development has emerged as the city has implemented a new policy lowering the minimum age for lifeguards from 16 to 15 years old.
This policy shift has significantly boosted Houston’s ability to hire lifeguards, with the city now boasting a staffing rate that is 31% ahead of last year’s figures, according to Prentiss Collins, Houston’s deputy director of recreation.
Collins expressed optimism about the change, stating, ‘We are so far ahead of schedule.’
Thanks to this new lifeguard age policy, Houston expects to have 36 of its 38 public pools operational in the upcoming weeks, with two pools remaining closed for maintenance issues.
Currently, the city’s parks department has reopened 26 pools, operating six days a week, which marks a considerable increase in swimming opportunities compared to the previous summer of 2024.
That year, the city managed to open 29 pools, each accessible only three days a week.
This summer, a considerable portion of the workforce comprises younger lifeguards, with 1 in 4 of Houston’s lifeguards being just 15 years old, as noted in a recent analysis by Straight Arrow News.
‘It gives us a lot of flexibility to have an extra body when we need it,’ Collins added.
While Houston is leading the charge in employing younger lifeguards, it is worth noting that it is not the only city to adopt this strategy.
In fact, New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago – the three U.S. cities with populations larger than Houston – all require lifeguards to be at least 16 years old.
Bernard J. Fisher II, director of health and safety at the American Lifeguard Association, explained that the American Red Cross has certified lifeguards as young as 15 for many years.
He stated, ‘It’s an exit requirement. You can start the course at any time, but you must be 15 by the time you’re certified to be a lifeguard.’
Historically, cities have simply assumed a minimum age of 16 for lifeguards, but Houston officials discovered their ability to hire 15-year-olds only in 2023.
Nationwide, approximately 25% of lifeguards are aged 15, with the Red Cross trained hundreds of thousands of young lifeguards over several decades.
Yet many of these younger lifeguards typically found jobs only at private facilities until recent times.
In Houston, 15-year-olds are certified to the same standards as their older counterparts, though there are specific responsibilities they cannot undertake.
Collins highlighted safety protocols, stating, ‘They can’t work in the deep well, and they can’t work up top. They have to work on the pool deck.’
This limitation allows the city to stretch its staffing resources, provided there are sufficient supervising guards on duty.
Austin, Texas, serves as a nearby example of a city that has successfully employed 15-year-old lifeguards for years, avoiding the lifeguard shortages that have plagued other locations.
While Houston faced issues in reopening pools post-pandemic, Austin reported no such struggles and maintained equitable access to swimming facilities across neighborhoods, irrespective of income or demographics.
As more cities are beginning to adapt their lifeguard hiring practices, they are focusing their recruitment efforts on overcoming the lifeguard shortage that lead to the closure of public pools since the pandemic.
The American Lifeguard Association reported that about 100,000 public pools were forced to close or significantly cut their hours due to the lack of lifeguards, affecting approximately one-third of the nation’s public pools.
These closures deprived communities of safe swimming environments during hot summer months, leaving many children without opportunities to learn this essential skill.
William D. Ramos, an associate professor at Indiana University School of Public Health and a member of the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council, mentioned that while the lifeguard shortage is leaning toward resolution, there is still a focus needed on retention strategies.
‘If a facility is still experiencing a shortage, they could examine their recruitment strategies to see how they are working to keep an ongoing flow of certified lifeguards,’ he advised.
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, illustrates a success in adjusting lifeguard hiring strategies after struggling in 2021 when it could only recruit 53 lifeguards.
Most pools had to close, but the parks department has made strides by improving its focus on retention, now hiring 155 lifeguards this season compared to 130 last year.
Andrea Wallace, assistant director of recreation and business services at Milwaukee County Parks, explained the importance of creating a rewarding work environment for lifeguards to encourage their return.
To incentivize returning lifeguards, Wallace and her team surveyed staff on what perks would motivate them to return for subsequent summers.
In a surprising twist, the results indicated that younger lifeguards preferred experiences and items such as baseball tickets and name-brand merchandise over cash bonuses.
This led to collaborations with local organizations, including a significant ticket donation from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Meanwhile, Houston has similarly offered monetary incentives like a $250 sign-on bonus and another $250 for lifeguards who remain through the entire summer.
Collins emphasized that while these financial incentives are important, establishing a welcoming atmosphere where young lifeguards want to return is even more crucial.
He remains optimistic about Houston’s ability to build a robust lifeguard community that will allow the city to open more pools for residents.
‘When we can open up more pools, we want to open up more pools,’ he concluded. ‘So I am confident that this year, equity will be across the table.’
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