Tragedy in my workout pool today

From the story: However, he did say that someone died and that the accident apparently happened when no one else was around. So the student sneaked into the pool and drowned? Very strange and it seems likely no one will ever know what really happened. Requiring lifeguards on deck during scheduled pool programs doesn't seem to be addressing what happened. How about ensuring the pool doors are locked when the pool is not in use instead?

From the story: So the student sneaked into the pool and drowned? Very strange and it seems likely no one will ever know what really happened. Requiring lifeguards on deck during scheduled pool programs doesn't seem to be addressing what happened. How about ensuring the pool doors are locked when the pool is not in use instead? At the high school pool the doors from outside and both lockerrooms are locked, there's actually no way to leave them unlocked either. You have to prop them open. If they are latched, they lock (both ways in and out). Occasionally when we get there in the mornings, one of the lockerroom doors is left open, or not 100% latched as well. A no-no for sure. They are in the middle of high school P.E. swimming classses at the high school this time of year, so I'm sure the lockerroom doors are left open from the change of class to class. So if a student arrives early and gets out there before anyone else, gets in the pool and gets in trouble...this is what could happen. They will definitely have something come about at the pool with more safety regulations.

Please read this story...sad news Very sad indeed, James. :( This incident sounds too similar to what happened at my pool a few weeks ago.

KIds will prop the doors open often. ANYONE that gets into an unguarded pool is at risk. Yes there are times between classes that no one is on deck, but all rules are well spelled out as to when people may enter the water.

KIds will prop the doors open often. ANYONE that gets into an unguarded pool is at risk. Yes there are times between classes that no one is on deck, but all rules are well spelled out as to when people may enter the water. But you know kids as well as all of us...they don't like authority nor do they like to respect the rules. I'm sure it'll change now though. It always takes something disasterous like this to invoke change. :agree:

We had someone come to our ER a few years ago after drowning in high school gym class...too many students to staff ratio or something like that. Teacher (reportedly a good teacher) lost his job. As opposed to others, I don't get how almost adult high school students drown...seems you could just stand up. If you are 15 years old, can't swim and do not have the sense to stay in the shallow end, then I'm not sure there is much hope for you. 2 age-groupers on my kid's team near-drowned last year doing underwaters...not sure all the precautions, law suits, and lifeguards help in the end. I somehow (to the chagrin of many) survived many years of two per day practices without lifeguards.

We had someone come to our ER a few years ago after drowning in high school gym class...too many students to staff ratio or something like that. Teacher (reportedly a good teacher) lost his job. As opposed to others, I don't get how almost adult high school students drown...seems you could just stand up. If you are 15 years old, can't swim and do not have the sense to stay in the shallow end, then I'm not sure there is much hope for you. 2 age-groupers on my kid's team near-drowned last year doing underwaters...not sure all the precautions, law suits, and lifeguards help in the end. I somehow (to the chagrin of many) survived many years of two per day practices without lifeguards. I'm with you on all of this. Who knows what will happen with the teachers who were in charge of the groups. My masters coach told me that in the past, she talked with the high school about being a volunteer guard for the P.E. swimming sessions. The school told her they would "contact her" if needed. She was only called in once for a special-ed group that was doing lessons, and she gladly came in, and even did in water instruction and assistance with them. She would've been there for all these P.E. classes too, as an "aquatic trained professional", but the school apparently did not need her help. I think they will be changing their thinking now and will for sure have hired help, or require that each user group have hired guards on deck when in use.

Here's the most recent update on the Wenatchee World article: This is copied from the entire article: Student who died in WHS swimming pool identified By Dee Riggs World staff writer Originally published November 17, 2011 at 2:31 p.m., updated November 17, 2011 at 6:18 p.m. A 14-year-old student at Wenatchee HIgh School drowned this morning in the school's swimming pool. Antonio Reyes was found, unresponsive, at 10:53 a.m. at the bottom of the pool, said Sgt. John Kruse with the Wenatchee Police Department. He was taken by ambulance to Central Washington Hospital but could not be revived. Reyes had been in the pool with classmates in a swimming class that was held between 9:13 and 10: 09 a.m., Kruse said. "Police investigators interviewed classmates and teachers, and determined Reyes likely drowned while in class, though his classmates and teacher were unaware of this occurring," Kruse said in a press release issued this evening. Reyes was found about 10:50 a.m. by students in the next scheduled swimming class, Kruse said. He was pulled out of the pool and teachers performed CPR on him until emergency medical services workers arrived and took over. Foul play is not suspected, Kruse said. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday, said Chelan County Coroner Wayne Harris. After Reyes was pulled from the pool, the high school was put into lockdown mode, which the school describes as normal procedure for urgent situations. The lockdown was lifted about 12:40 pm. In a press release on the Wenatchee School District website, the district said the incident is currently under investigation by the Wenatchee Police Department in full cooperation with the district. The district also said community and school counselors worked with students Thursday and will be available Friday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Reyes family,” says Superintendent Brian Flones. “We are grateful for all the community members who have lent their support.” The boy wasn't found for nearly an hour after the class was over and another one was coming in. And apparently it happened DURING THE CLASS. They definitely are way overdue for having a certified lifeguard at the h.s. pool. I'm sure it will be policy now. And hopefully we'll get access again soon. All the best wishes to the family of the boy...their lives will never be the same. :(

I hate to say it but I bet it all came down to a budget issue. Cheaper to just use the current teachers as guards even though they are not trained to guard than to just hire a trained lifeguard. Businesses tend to do stuff like this to save a buck and the only way anything changes is when a sentinel event like this happens. Then everyone starts scrambling to make changes after disaster has already struck. I've swum in this pool as an age grouper all the way back to 1986ish, and there has never EVER been a guard there. This wasn't a budget issue. It's not open to the public. It's just used for high school activities, and private user groups like the swim team would use the pool as well. The swim teams were covered by having their USAS certified coach on deck during all practices. I just hope all the wrongs get righted soon, and that they don't just close the door off to everyone because of this tragic accident.

We had someone come to our ER a few years ago after drowning in high school gym class...too many students to staff ratio or something like that. Teacher (reportedly a good teacher) lost his job. As opposed to others, I don't get how almost adult high school students drown...seems you could just stand up. If you are 15 years old, can't swim and do not have the sense to stay in the shallow end, then I'm not sure there is much hope for you. A sudden medical crisis (heart arrythmia, stroke, etc.) could cause drowning, especially in a situation where the student-to-observer ratio was too high. Also, in my completely normal semi-rural high school, some kids spent a lot of the school day stoned. Bad choice, to be sure, but it really shouldn't be fatal. No matter how this Wenatchee High incident happened, it's a terrible tragedy for this student, and his family, and his classmates, and his teacher.