Raleigh says swimming pools staffed, safe for the 4th
RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Despite a shortage of lifeguards earlier in the season, the City of Raleigh says it is adequately staffed and has safety measures in place for the Fourth of July holiday.
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At Ridge Road Pool, one of nine public swimming pools operated by the city's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department, Terri Stroupe, aquatics director, said there could be more than 200 people enjoying the water Tuesday.
Stroupe said the city has caught up with its lifeguard shortage from early May when it was down by 45 and faced with potentially keeping certain parts of pools closed.
"We are a few lifeguards short, but we are not allowing anybody to work longer hours than they need to for safety reasons," she said.
The city took precautions to keep not only those swimming safe, but also the water they swim in.
Following the death of Raleigh teenager Rachel Rosoff, who drowned in an electrified community pool where she was lifeguarding last Labor Day, the city hired a third-party electrician to inspect all of its public pools.
"Just because of all the issues that were brought up after the unfortunate death; basically we just wanted to be sure," Stroupe said.
The inspections didn't turn up any issues with the pools' electrical systems. Stroupe said that's likely because the city has a full-time maintenance staff keeping everything in check year-round.
As for staying ahead of the next wave of lifeguards leaving to go back to school in the fall, Stroupe says they're always looking to hire and offer free training to those interested.
