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Department Of Recreation Looking To Hire Hundreds Of Lifeguards

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The City of Philadelphia has put out the "Help Wanted" sign. One requirement: you have to like the water.

Philadelphia's Department of Parks and Recreation is looking for a couple hundred lifeguards to staff its swimming pools this summer.

Lisa Whittle is the aquatics program coordinator and responsible for pool operations.

"We hire approximately 400 lifeguards every summer because we do have 70 outdoor pools to staff and then we also staff four indoor pools," Whittle said. "So we'll have 400 lifeguards and then we also hire approximately 400 maintenance attendants."

To be a lifeguard, you have to be at least 16 years old and have good swimming ability.

Whittle says the city will provide the lifeguard training. She says it's a unique job that fosters a lot of community pride.

"We do have a lot of people who come back and a lot of people who love their neighborhood, love their community pool," she said. "They come back because they feel they're providing a service to their residents and it also gives them a job to know they can come back to every summer."

Lifeguards work an average of 35 hours a week during the summer season. The job pays anywhere from $12.33 to $14.60 an hour.

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