Santa Maria YMCA in need of lifeguards for summer swim programs

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Just as summer kicks in the Santa Maria YMCA is experiencing a major shortage of lifeguards.

"That’s disappointing ... we’ve been locked down for a year so it’s probably pretty important for all these activities to happen," said head coach Michael Ashmore of the Santa Maria Swim Club.

Activities like swim lessons could be limited because the number of lifeguards is down by more than half.

"Now that California is opening up we are finding that we don’t have enough my lifeguards or swim instructors. Normally we have 18 to 20 lifeguards, and currently we have seven," said aquatic director Diana Borjas of the Santa Maria Valley YMCA.

If more lifeguards aren’t hired, managers with the Y say fewer kids will be able to take life-saving swim lessons.

"The staff shortage with lifeguards is really crucial because your kids learning to swim can save lives. so the y wants you to stay safe all summer," said CEO Shannon Seifert of the Santa Maria Valley YMCA.

Managers with the Y say this lifeguards shortage is also happening throughout San Luis Obispo County.

"Our friends and compadres in San Louis Obispo, and here in the city of Santa Maria, and throughout the central coast where programs have literally had to be shut down, because there were not lifeguards there to provide safe programs … this is pretty much throughout the central coast," said Seifert.

The Santa Maria Valley YMCA hopes to see more lifeguards apply as soon as possible as summer programs get underway.