FALMOUTH – An official with the Falmouth Beach Department recently gave an update on where the department stands on lifeguard coverage ahead of the summer.
Superintendent Maggie Clayton spoke at a Falmouth Select Board meeting on June 13 and said that the beaches will be staffed and enforced seven days a week for the season starting on Sunday, June 26.
Clayton said that 57 guards would be needed to fully staff the 10 town beaches. As of last week, the town had hired 42 full time guards with another two that are soon to be certified.
The superintendent also said two part-time lifeguards and some returning guards that might be available on a per diem basis.
She added that the positions are still listed on the town’s website and that the department is actively in a rolling hiring pattern.
Beach Committee Vice-Chair Barbara Schneider said the committee had done research on wages offered at private beaches to determine a competitive wage for the town positions.
“I think we guessed really well at where we needed to be. I hope that in the future that we can work closer together with those numbers and make sure we don’t get to where we’re standing here in June saying we’re 15 guards, or 14 or 13 guards short,” Schneider said.
Clayton also spoke about the department’s hiring of additional parking attendants after short staffing last year led to the department being unable to provide services at Megansett and MBL Stony Beach.
“We’ve hired additional parking attendants, so that regardless of our lifeguard numbers all of the parking lots will be monitored with at least two staff members, so no staff member is alone,” Clayton said.
By Brian Engles, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
About Brian Engles
