Two Jersey Shore towns say that one step they took last summer is paying off now as they look to hire lifeguards.

“It has become more of a challenge and has been an issue for probably the last 10 years and has continued to worsen,” says Stone Harbor Beach Patrol Captain Sandy Bosacco.

Bosacco is referring to the struggle the last few years to hire lifeguards. But he says that this summer things have been different.

“We had about 35 applicants and about 14 openings,” Bosacco says.

The beach patrol has seen an increase in applicants because of an increase in pay. Stone Harbor and neighboring Avalon increased pay last summer to $20 per hour. In 2019, the pay was $12.50 per hour.

“Prior to the increase in the pay, we would have roughly 20 openings and we would have 15 applicants,” Bosacco says.

Officials in the two towns say that one of the biggest challenges they face each year is not only finding candidates, but also finding qualified ones. They say that the tryout for the position is demanding.

“It’s not a job where you can just give someone a uniform and everything will work out. They have to be able to do the job,” Bosacco says.

And with one of the busiest summers at the Jersey Shore ahead of them, Stone Harbor officials say that they are happy to be ahead.