OCEAN CITY, Md. -- Captain Butch Arbin went before the town council this week to talk about what he calls a hiring crisis. He says lifeguard recruits are taking jobs elsewhere, either in Delaware or Assateague, for higher pay and less responsibility.
Soon, the now mostly empty beaches in Ocean City will be packed with people, making the OCBP's struggles to hire lifeguards all the more concerning.
"Recruiting is going great, recruiting, but hiring is a crisis," said Arbin.
Arbin said one of the main reasons for this, is pay.
"The other beach patrols are paying more than us, DNR paying more than us, Delaware paying more than us," said Arbin.
City Manager Terry McGean said he doesn't think Ocean City is too far behind.
"I think we were a couple cents short of what the state of Maryland pays and what the state of Delaware pays," said McGean.
In Ocean City, starting lifeguards make $18.20 an hour. In nearby Bethany, slightly higher wages.
"This year I'm anticipating starting at $18.50, I have a little bit of leeway there," said Joe Donnelly, Bethany Beach Lifeguard Captain.
Donnelly said Bethany Beach is heading into this summer with a full staff, but it did not come without any struggles. Similar to Ocean City, a lack of seasonal workforce housing has made getting recruits difficult.
Arbin said for recruits in Ocean City, it can be one of the biggest deterrents.
“If they talk to us we’re helping them the city is helping them get housing if we know they want to work for us we’re working with them," said Arbin. "But if they just on their own call the chamber of commerce and they can’t find a place they just say I’m not gonna come."
Amy Thompson, Chamber of Commerce Director, said seasonal housing is not a simple issue, and there isn't an easy solution. In short though, less students are choosing to work in Ocean City, a demographic that often helps fill positions as lifeguards.
The third biggest issue, according to Arbin, is Ocean City lifeguards have a lot responsibility with 10 miles of beach to cover.
“It’s harder to be a lifeguard we sit one per stand, all the other beach patrols sit two per stand, more breaks I mean, look we hear that, why would I work for Ocean City it’s hard down there," said Arbin.
The Ocean City Beach Patrol, hoping like the tides, their hiring number begin to rise.