Ocean City Gives More Incentives to Help with Lifeguard Hiring Shortage

OCEAN CITY, Md. - Ocean City is struggling to find lifeguards to work for the upcoming summer season and the town is trying to help solve that problem. 

The town has given the Beach Patrol money making overtime pay time and a half and a signing bonus for new employees of $500.

Although the lifeguards won't start until Memorial Day, the Beach Patrol said the help from the town while they're still recruiting makes a big difference for their cause.

Lieutenant Ward Kovacs of the Beach Patrol said he has hopes for the rest of the recruitment season, "We're hoping that money is going to be an incentive to bring more people in to register for the test and to actually come and take the test," Kovacs said. 

The town said the awarding of more funds goes towards investing in their current lifeguards as well.

City Manager Terry McGean said the town knows the importance of retention, 

"For the guards that we already have, understanding we're going to be asking more of you this year but but we're going to compensate you for that," McGean said.

The Beach Patrol said those current lifeguards are just as important as the ones they need to recruit. 

"Retention is key for us to because then all the people that we retain and come back year after year gives us a more experienced workforce," Kovacs said. 

While some like Brandy Stultz, a seasonal visitor thinks the lack of lifeguards isn't something new, this issue is happening around the country.

"They're going to have to be paid enough to not just do the job but to live in Ocean City seasonally and pay their rent, the cost of living is high here and their pay should reflect that," Stultz said. 

The Ocean City Beach Patrol will have two additional lifeguard tests on June 3 and June 10.