'It's a little frustrating.' Staffing shortage causes Durham pool to close on Saturday
Lifeguard shortages will mean fewer days to go to Forest Hills pool in Durham.
The pool will be closed on Saturday due to a staffing shortage.
"It's really hot. We've been looking for spray grounds everywhere. They all seem to be closed," said parent Sarah Baker.
The Baker family is searching for ways to beat the heat, and they learned that Forest Hills pool will not be an option this weekend.
"It's a little frustrating," said Sarah Baker. "We've been looking for one for our kid."
The closure is due to a lack of lifeguards.
"We only open our pool if it is safe to do, so for one day – this coming Saturday – we will have to shut down one of our outdoor pools," said Jason Jones, the assistant director of parks and recreation for Durham.
Durham isn't the only pool having to temporarily close because of lifeguard shortages.
In June, WRAL News reported that Raleigh had roughly 40 open lifeguard positions and that many pools were operating under modified schedules.
Durham officials are trying to encourage people to train to become a lifeguard.
"We’ve expanded [the] number of hours [that] part-time lifeguards can work and increased wages for our senior guards to make $17.99 an hour," said Jones.
But for now, it doesn't appear to be enough for Forest Hills to open on Saturday.
So, the Baker family said they will have to go elsewhere to keep cool.
"We have to stay inside and stay hydrated [will be] making sure she has her sunscreen," said Baker about her daughter.
Jones said that Durham's other two pools aren't expected to be affected by staffing issues.
