YMCA helps fill lifeguard positions with free training

Three Atlanta brothers are doing their part this summer to help reverse a national shortage of lifeguards.

Brothers Nguaia De Jesus, 18, and 16-year-old twins Zediwa and Nhenze De Jesus are lifeguards at the East Lake Family YMCA in Atlanta.

Nguaia, a Georgia State University sophomore, has been with the YMCA for over two years and is now a senior lifeguard with a recertification.

The twins, rising junior honor students at Charles R. Drew Charter School in Atlanta, started last summer as lifeguards with the city of Atlanta Grant Park Pool.

Credit: spe

The boys’ mother, Teresa Brown, encouraged her sons, all strong swimmers, to pursue lifeguarding.

“I talked to all of them about having a skill they can fall back on at any time,” she said. “They’ve been swimming forever, and I thought this was one they could have in their back pocket.”

Because Nguaia took private lifeguard lessons, Brown searched for something similar for the twins in early 2023. She was surprised to find that the city of Atlanta offered a free lifeguard training and certification program.

Zediwa and Nhenze received training at the city’s Rosel Fann Recreation Center pool in a joint program with the city and the YMCA of Metro Atlanta. It is free to city of Atlanta residents.

Brown works for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and said she is aware of national drowning statistics for Black and brown children. “I want (my sons) to make a difference in this if they can,” she said.

“I’ve been to many pools in my life, and I’ve never seen very many Black lifeguards. It’s great for younger kids to see that all three are really dedicated to it.”

The city’s partnership was created two years ago to give inner-city teens and young adults summer jobs and add trained lifeguards at any city pool or YMCA branch. The Metro YMCA absorbs the $350 per person cost for lessons, plus the instructors’ pay and the cost of training equipment.

YMCA aquatics spokesperson Erin Hight said the goal was to train and certify 50 new lifeguards, and they expect to hit that number this summer. Hight is the Newnan Family YMCA associate executive director and co-cabinet leader of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta aquatics director.

Although the program was only for two years, Hight hopes it will continue because there is such a need for lifeguards in metro Atlanta.

She said up to 900 lifeguards are needed just at the YMCA pools in metro Atlanta. “And that doesn’t include city pools or neighborhood pools,” Hight said. “Multiple neighborhood pools are ‘swim at your own risk’ without lifeguards, which is so dangerous.”

Credit: Phil Skinner

Because training is expensive, the YMCA also offers free lifeguard classes and certification for its members. However, the advanced swimming prerequisites shrink the pool of candidates. To qualify for the classes, swimmers must be able to complete a 300-yard swim in different strokes and have other water skills.

“You have to be able to swim effectively and efficiently in order to save someone’s life,” Hight said.

Lifeguarding hasn’t lost its allure, even in Atlanta’s sweltering heat.

“It can be challenging, but it’s also fun,” Hight said. “You’re interacting with children, with parents, with seniors – people of all ages. You don’t get that in many jobs.”

Hight said many YMCA lifeguards use the job as a steppingstone to other careers, such as nursing, EMT, or firefighter, because “they’re learning CPR and how to save a life.”

Brown said she talks with her sons about expanding their skills to teach swim lessons and teach others how to be swim instructors.

Credit: Phil Skinner

Catherine Lilly and Miles Fabre, both 18, are summer lifeguards at the Summit Family YMCA in Newnan. Both teens received free training as members of the YMCA, and they enjoy their lifeguard jobs.

“I like being involved in my community and making a difference by watching the kids and making sure there are no incidents,” Catherine said.

An older brother got Miles involved in lifeguarding, and now he likes it so much that he recommended the training to his best friend.

“It’s really fun to be out here,” he said. “The kids are so funny. It’s just a great summer job and a year-round job.”

Both teens will be off to college soon – Catherine is a sophomore at Samford University in Birmingham, and Miles will be a freshman at Augusta University – but plan to use their lifeguard experience to help with college expenses.

Catherine manages swim instruction and schedules for a pool in Birmingham, and Miles said he has looked into aquatics jobs in Augusta.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Catherine, “and (lifeguards) are all friends out here, so it makes it a good day, every day.”

LIFESAVING TIPS AROUND WATER

Don’t swim by yourself. Have at least one other person with you.

Children and weak swimmers should wear a life jacket.

Children should always ask for permission to get in the water.

Know how deep the water is before getting in.

Give children swim lessons at an early age, then let them spend time in the water.

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