FRANCES SLOCUM STATE PARK -- It was hot and humid for much of the day, but people showing up to cool off at a state park pool in Luzerne County were turned away.
Frances Slocum State Park had to close the pool due to a lifeguard shortage. We found it's a struggle more and more pools in our area and nationwide are facing.
On a sunny, hot, humid afternoon, there should be the sound of kids splashing coming from the water at the state park pool. Instead, there were only the sounds of some birds on this quiet, closed day at the pool.
The sign told the Cruz family why: a shortage of lifeguards. So they and others got turned away from the spot to cool off.
"It's my only day off and we figured I'd have a nice family day at the pool, but we're getting turned down. Guess I'm going to have to hook up the hose in my backyard and do it like that," said Eduardo Cruz of Wilkes-Barre.
"They were all excited to come!" said Kim Fisher of Wilkes-Barre. "It's very disappointing."
Fisher, her grandson, and a friend had to get right back on the bus to Wilkes-Barre after riding all the way up there to swim.
A lifeguard shortage is actually a nationwide issue. Pools across the country say some of the issues are college kids who want career-oriented summer jobs, high school students who are involved in year-round sports, to even kids who can't imagine being on a lifeguard stand, giving up their phones for a few hours.
"It seems like every year it's a struggle to fill our complement of lifeguards," said park manager Brian Taylor.
Frances Slocum lifeguards work 7 and a half hour shifts, five days a week for $11 an hour.
"With the young adults today and teenagers today who are traditionally our lifeguards, they can't commit to that much of a time frame," Taylor said.
Frances Slocum State Park did get some interest from some potential lifeguards on Tuesday, so the manager is hoping this one-day closure is the only one this summer, and if you have any interest in being a lifeguard, the need is there every year.
