Many Iowa cities opened their municipal swimming pools over the Memorial Day weekend, but most do not have a full slate of lifeguards yet. Bobbie Bishop, a spokeswoman for the Central Iowa Red Cross chapter, says many employers, including pools, are battling to get summer help from teens.Bishop says there’s been an increase in the number of pools, water parks and wave pools nationwide, and more people are using them. That equates to a desperate need for more lifeguards. Bishop says certified lifeguard training through the Red Cross in central Iowa can cost 80 to 120 dollars.To attract more help, some water-related businesses are offering rebates on lifeguard training programs, which can cost up to 300 dollars. Bishop says the training is something that sticks with you for a lifetime and years from now, you might be called into emergency action.The Red Cross says people should take extra precautions while swimming at water parks and in pools where there might not be as many lifeguards.
