Temple University offers students college credit for helping as lifeguards. Here's how to apply

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The countdown to summer is on!

But before Philadelphia Parks and Recreation can open its public pools, officials need to make sure they're fully staffed with lifeguards.

It's a challenge the city is trying to meet head-on. Now they'll have a little help from Temple University.

The pool at Samuel Recreation Center in Port Richmond is one of the dozens that are expected to be active this summer.

"It's gonna be jammed packed," said Bill Salvatore, deputy commissioner of programming at Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, which is still a little short of its goal to hire 400 lifeguards for the summer.

"We could use another 40 or 50 applicants to get through the certification process and become lifeguards to make sure all 61 of these pools are opened," he said.

Six of those 61 pools are within a mile of the Temple University campus; therefore, the school has stepped up to encourage Temple students to be lifeguards by offering one big incentive.

"Temple University reached out and said, 'We have a crazy idea, what would you say if we gave college credits to Temple students who became lifeguards?'" recalled Salvatore.

Full-time Temple students can enroll in the class for no additional fee. They can earn three college credits, the equivalent of one course by becoming lifeguards.

"That's going to help the Parks and Recreation Department and obviously get more kids in the pool," said Jack Sears, program director of the Temple Kinesiology Department Physical Activity Program.

The training is free, but the positions are paid.

"They work for six or eight weeks in the summer," said Sears.

"(Students can) enjoy their summers and make a little money on the side," said Salvatore.

The college credit is just one more way the city is trying to meet its hiring goal.

"Free training, free screening, free certification," said Salvatore of the free services they provide for applicants seeking to become lifeguards. Those applicants have to pass the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Lifeguard Screening Test which involves the following:

• Swim 300 yards non-stop (12 laps of freestyle or breaststroke). This is not a timed swim, but you must continuously swim the 12 lengths and not stop or you will need to start over.
• Tread water for two minutes using only your legs without your hands.
• Retrieve a 10-pound brick from a deep well. Return to the surface and swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the brick, using only your legs. The brick must be held out of the water with both hands. You must complete this task within one minute and 40 seconds.

Parks and Rec offer free training seven days a week at five different recreation centers.

By enabling more pools to open and getting kids off the streets, the lifeguards will be saving lives in more ways than one.

"Getting off the streets, getting into a safe place," said Sears, "I think that's also going to help with the violence in the city, and that's what we want."

Pools open June 14. Anyone interested in becoming a lifeguard is encouraged to register soon.

Prospective lifeguards can sign up for a screening test here.

For more information, click here.