BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo's lifeguard shortage isn't unique; cities across the country have struggled to staff pools this summer because so few people have completed lifeguard certification.

COVID-19 is partly to blame for this. Nate Bourke, UB's aquatics director, says the national shortage began in 2017 when a curriculum change led many older lifeguards to retire. It got worse when COVID began to spread.

"Once COVID hit last spring, most facilities weren’t offering any courses," he says. "Minimal pools re-opened last summer, so that’s when we started to see a shortage. Many facilities didn’t open at all."

Bourke volunteers to teach certification courses at UB to make them more affordable. He’s taught lifeguards since he was 18, and it’s been heartbreaking for him to see so many pools close.

"Living on the West Side of Buffalo for many years, that Alice Street pool off Grant Street, that’s a major part of the community," he says. "Especially for the residents over in that area. That just made me really sad."

Bourke tries to offer a set amount of classes each summer, with six to eight people in each course. He says demand has "skyrocketed" this year, so two more courses were added. With city pools unlikely to open this summer, his students will work at places like country clubs and national parks. Some people earn job offers before they begin the class, with employment conditional on them completing the certification.

Bourke enjoys preparing lifeguards of all ages, and takes pride in keeping his courses under $50. He's seen other classes run $600 or $700.

"I’ve worked in a pool since I was 16 years old," he says. "It’s been a huge part of my life and I’ve had a lot of positive experiences here. And I think of it as if I can help some of these individuals find jobs, perhaps they’re going to be able to find another sense of fulfillment."