In the News

Lifeguard parties offer

summer job opportunities

Date: January 27, 2013
Contact: Jody Castro/207-4207

San Antonians ages 16 and up who are looking for a rewarding job with great pay need not look any further than the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department. The department is hosting several "Wanna be a Lifeguard? Parties" in hopes that local teens, college students, and adults 16 and over, will attend and apply. The parties will be held on the following Saturdays: Feb. 9 and 23, March 9 and 30 and April 13 and 27, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Natatorium, 1430 W. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. Refreshments will be served. "This is an opportunity to secure an excellent job and training that will benefit you the remainder of your life," says Assistant Director Nikki Ramos. "Interested applicants will have the opportunity to visit with staff and discuss the qualifications and benefits of being a lifeguard. We really want to encourage individuals to apply as soon as possible so that we can get them trained and prepared to be a lifeguard at our pools."

At the event, individuals interested in becoming lifeguards will have access to a computer to complete the on-line application. As an added convenience, the prerequisite skills test will also be available during the parties and applicants are encouraged take the test during this time.

If either taking the skills test during one of the lifeguard parties or at a different time, applicants should bring their swimsuits and be prepared to swim 300 yards freestyle and breaststroke, tread water with no arms for 2 minutes, as well as retrieve a 10-pound weight from the 13 foot depth and swim across the pool within the allotted time. Practice time and instruction will be available.

The department provides CPR and lifesaving training to prepare applicants for their lifeguarding responsibilities. Applicants who have passed the prerequisite test will be scheduled for training classes. The starting salary is $9.01 per hour.

The San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department will offer a variety of hours of operation for Lap Swim and Open Swim. Four regional pools (Heritage, 1423 Ellison Dr.; Lady Bird Johnson, 10700 Nacogdoches; South Side Lions, 3100 Hiawatha; and Woodlawn, 1100 Cincinnati) will offer hours during Spring Break (March 12-17). These four pools will resume operations starting on Saturday, May 7 until the regular outdoor pool season that includes all 24 outdoor pools begins on June 15.

The regular 2013 outdoor pool season runs June 15 through Aug. 18. Hours of operation at the majority of the department’s 24 outdoor pools are Tuesday through Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m. Morning Lap Swim will be offered from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the four regional pools.

For more information on "Wanna be a Lifeguard? Parties," lifeguard positions or pool hours of operation, please call (210) 207-3299.