Help! -- Red Cross warns of lifeguard shortage

The Red Cross is concerned about lifeguard shortages this summer

(CNN) -- In the midst of a lifeguard shortage, many pools and water parks still are scrambling to find people qualified to watch over their swimmers. And the American Red Cross warns that the shortage could create a public safety crisis.

The rapid increase in the number of water parks and the hiring boom in some professions are siphoning off lifeguard resources.

"Because of hi-tech jobs, the amount of retail positions and food service positions…young adults just don't have, really, the need to become lifeguards anymore," said Derric Bolton, safety officer at the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.

In 1999, 68 million people visited pools and water parks, representing an 8 percent attendance increase in just one year.

Some places have chosen to operate without lifeguards, while others have opted to close, according to Connie Harvey with the American Red Cross.

"There are not enough to keep the facilities open as long as they may have once been open."

The World Waterpark Association reports that the number of aquatic centers doubled during the 1990s, and projects that growth will continue at a rate of 3 to 4 percent each year. That surge and those parks' increasing popularity also have contributed to the shortage.

Water park design is also a factor.

'Where a traditional rectangular swimming pool may have required three or four lifeguards on duty at a time," Harvey said, "once you get these multiple attractions, it requires many more lifeguards."

The Red Cross offers a number of life-saving tips for swimmers and boaters who might be in recreation areas without a lifeguard on duty. But people should take the same precautions even when lifeguards are available.

At water parks -- read all posted rules and follow them; be aware of the depth differences when moving from one attraction to another; if you cannot swim, wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket; and before starting on a water slide, get in the proper position, with your face up and feet out.

When visiting the ocean -- never swim alone; check surf conditions before entering the water; stay away from piers, pilings and diving platforms; make sure you have enough energy to swim back to shore; avoid patches of water plants and sea animals; swim in designated areas only; and if caught in a current, swim across it, not against it.

At pools -- maintain close supervision of children and have a phone handy to contact emergency personnel if necessary.

Some local pools are offering rebates to attract potential lifeguard candidates and help reduce training costs.

"The average program can cost $200 to $300," Bolton said. "We're charging $100 and, upon completion, they get their deposit back and all they have to do is pay their registration fee with the American Red Cross."

CNN Medical Correspondent Rea Blakey contributed to this report