The local Lifesaving Society says lifeguard certifications are on par with what they were before the pandemic.

After COVID struck in 2020, many recreational facilities were temporarily shut down as a public safety measure, forcing many lifeguards to seek jobs elsewhere.

It also put a dent in training and certification, a process that takes time, and resulted in a severe lifeguard shortage across the country—Newfoundland and Labrador included.

Vice President of Training Programs with the Lifesaving Society in Newfoundland and Labrador, Christopher Mercer, says the gap created during COVID is closing and lifeguard certifications have bounced back.

He says their affiliate partners, including municipalities and YMCAs, have been able to return to programming models similar to that before COVID. He says the numbers they’re seeing are reflective of a return to normal, “so we’re seeing steady interest in lifeguard programs and the pre-requisite programs necessary to become a lifeguard…similar to pre-COVID numbers.”

Mercer says anyone interested in becoming a lifeguard should contact their local pool or the Lifesaving Society.