Summer Days at the McCarren Pool in Brooklyn

July 17, 2012 11:27 AM

"We train to rescue, not get jumped by teens." When the McCarren Park Pool in Williamsburg reopened last month after 28 years of dormancy, it was hailed as a civic achievement and summer oasis for Brooklynites. But the city’s largest public pool has been plagued by violent brawls that pit teens against lifeguards and even forced the NYPD to shut it down on June 29. Lifeguards are forbidden to talk to the media, but one spoke to the The Post’s Annie Karni about life in the aquatic war zone. "We get paid $13.55 an hour, plus overtime. So far, I’m sticking it out, and it’s not bad pay, but it’s a hard job. There’s something going on every day, and it’s not just violence. One of the lifeguards called me over while I was watching the baby pool the other day. 'There’s poop in the pool,' he said. 'It’s scattered everywhere.' I saw one kid step on a piece. I tried to tell the parents to get out, but no one listened to me. I had to yell at them that there was feces in the pool. We cleared out the pool and made everyone stand on the sides. The rule is five minutes for poop and 25 minutes for throw-up. Luckily, there were two new lifeguards, so we made them clean it up."

Lol, what a clusterfuck. I feel sorry for these guys, but on the other hand it sounds like it'd be entertaining to go there and witness the mayhem.

posted by bookman117 (3 comments total)

Sounds like it was better when they were just having rock shows.
posted by TonyRobots at 11:31 AM on July 17, 2012

If people are so dumb that they're happy to swim around dodging live turds, let them have at it, I say.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:32 AM on July 17, 2012

Because, then someone gets sick or hurt and the sues the pool. And this is why we can't have nice things.
posted by Foam Pants at 11:33 AM on July 17, 2012