Thinking About Summer Yet? Buffalo Is And Wants To Hire More Lifeguards

Even though the 2025/26 cold weather season hasn't officially ended, there are plenty of signs around town that winter is slowly getting on with its life and heading out of the region. After some of the coldest air we've had to deal with in a while has battered the region, now we're talking about ski slopes getting ready to close as we're preparing for a late winter warmup.

With the snowpack in Buffalo and Western New York starting to melt and ice breaker boats working to reopen our waterways, before you know it, we'll be back outside enjoying all the great things that spring and summer have to offer us. From concerts, events, festivals, shows, and more that are on the way, places all over the Empire State are getting ready for all the fun and sun that we're due to get.

If you're like most Buffalonians, one of the key things that we all look forward to when the warmer weather arrives is being able to take full advantage of water. Being the key place where two Great Lakes meet puts Buffalo and Western New York in a great summertime position to enjoy some amazing fresh water for several months. From being able to go to the beach or hang out at a pool, summer is something we look forward to all fall, winter, and spring.

The City Of Buffalo Wants To Hire Tons Of Lifeguards This Summer

Even though we still have a few months to go before summer arrives, there are some folks down at Buffalo City Hall who are thinking about the summer, and they need your help to make sure that the summer of 2026 has plenty of open pools for people to have a safe and secure summer on the water.

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New York State's second-largest city owns and operates several public swimming pools that include 2 Indoor Pools, 2 Wading Pools, 7 Outdoor Pools, and 10 Splash Pads, all of which are spread all over the city.

The city's indoor pools are open year-round and can be used just about any time during their operating hours. The city's splash pads and pools are generally open for the summer season from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day Weekend as long as the weather is good.

Since summer will be here before you know it, city officials are looking to certify and potentially hire tons of new lifeguards this year. Thanks to a partnership between the City of Buffalo Division of Parks and Recreation and the Police Athletic League of Buffalo, city residents of all ages can attend a Lifeguard Certification and Training Program.

The fee for this training class for city residents over the age of 21, or people who do not live in Buffalo, regardless of age, is $250. City residents who are between the ages of 16 and 21 can receive this training for free thanks to a grant from NYSwims.

City lifeguards make $20 per hour, and if this sounds like a great job to have during the summer, the next training class is set to start on March 14, 2026.

You can find out more information about this on the City of Buffalo website or from the Buffalo Police Athletic League.