Press Release

AUGUSTA, Maine – The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) is looking for a few good lifeguards – 13 to be exact.

Thirteen lifeguard and four lifeguard supervisor positions are available for certified applicants at a number of waterfront state parks around Maine, according to Brian Murray, BPL Lifeguard Academy coordinator and park manager for Popham Beach State Park.

Whether it’s because of a lack of planning or a preference for the couch-potato lifestyle, able people aren’t getting qualified and then applying for the well-paying jobs, Murray said. The lifeguard shortage actually is an issue at pools, beaches and lakes up and down the East Coast, he said.

“I always thought it was the greatest job going,” Murray said, pointing that the lifeguard jobs are 40 hours a week with good pay. “When we do get them, they are some of the best employees we have.”

Maine state lifeguards serve at lake- and ocean-front parks, including Crescent Beach, Damariscotta, Mount Blue, Popham Beach, Range Ponds, Reid, Sebago Lake and Swan Lake state parks. They not only provide life-saving and safety services, but they also play an important role with public relations, Murray said.

“Our lifeguards are the face of the parks and serve our visitors in a very special way,” the park manager noted.

Lifeguard applicants must have certification before they can be accepted. They also have to pass a swim test, swimming 500 meters in 10 minutes or under, Murray said. Once hired, they also are required to attend Surf Academy or Lifeguard Academy, run by BPL in June, he said.

“We hire and then upgrade the training to meet our standards,” the coordinator said.

Certified individuals who are interested in applying for the positions can contact Murray at (207) 389-1335 or by email: Brian.J.Murray@maine.gov

The applications for the lifeguard and supervisor positions are available at: http://www.maine.gov/doc/jobs/DirectHire.shtml

For more information about Maine state parks and historic sites, go to: http://www.parksandlands.com