Lifeguard shortage will leave some P.E.I. provincial beaches unsupervised
Some provincial seashores on P.E.I. will probably be with out supervision this summer time for the primary time in additional than a decade as a result of the province cannot discover anybody to workers them.
Provincial park officers say they’re struggling to seek out certified lifeguards, leaving 5 to seven full-time positions nonetheless vacant.
Matthew Smith, Parks P.E.I.’s provincial lifeguard co-ordinator, says some provincial parks can have no supervision in any respect this summer time, whereas others can have restricted supervision.
Chelton Provincial Park will probably be fully unsupervised, whereas Northumberland Provincial Park will solely have lifeguards on the weekends.
“We reviewed our statistics and tried to make as better of a choice as potential to shut what parks we wanted to in order that we might guarantee we will have a full complement of lifeguards safely supervising as many parks as potential on a constant schedule for locals and vacationers,” Smith mentioned.
Indicators will probably be put in to warn beachgoers when seashores aren’t supervised, and rescue rings and different emergency gear will stay on web site.
Smith mentioned the choices had been primarily based on incident statistics during the last variety of years, the quantity of people that go to a seashore, and its proximity to different parks that can have lifeguards.
Fewer coaching programs as a result of pandemic
The purpose, Smith mentioned, is to offer a constant schedule so locals and vacationers can simply discover parks which can be supervised.
“Our concern was to have one seashore open sooner or later however not the subsequent, in order that’s why we opted to have a look at the statistics and the geography and be capable to clearly and brazenly talk with members of the general public,” he mentioned.
“I am assured that the lifeguards on our parks that we’re able to supervising are going to be supervising seashore goers at a excessive stage of care.”
Based on the province, fewer coaching programs have been provided the previous couple of years as swimming pools had been closed because of the pandemic, and a few hands-on coaching was harder to entry.
The province is seeking to assist prepare extra individuals to assist head off one other staffing scarcity subsequent summer time.
Parks Canada, in the meantime, says it has been capable of rent sufficient lifeguards so seashores like Brackley and Cavendish will probably be supervised the identical method they’ve been up to now.
