Please read this story...sad news
www.wenatcheeworld.com/.../
(NOTE: If the link doesn't get you to the story, click on the "HOME" button on the newspaper website, it'll be the "front page story". It's being updated frequently, so this link could be ever changing.)
Very very sad story and circumstance that happened today at the high school pool. :( I really feel sorry for the parents of this person, and I'm sure a lawsuit of some kind will be coming. I'm just glad I wasn't one of the teachers who was supposed to be "watching" the class.
I swim with my masters group every morning in this pool, and for the remainder of the month, ALL groups are out of the pool. Apparently the high school P.E. classes that use the pool for their swimming portion of the year, do so with the regular P.E. teachers supervising. Not a trained lifeguard, water instructor, etc. type of person. Just a regular old teacher.
I just talked with my masters coach, and she got the call from the school that said we are out, along with the swim team is out, and every user group out till the end of the month while they "do an investigation".
Basically what is going to be happening, is that they are going to require having a paid lifeguard on deck while all groups are using the pool. Not a problem for us to pay for that in the morning for masters, but kinda sucks that we're out till December. Hopefully we'll be able to return then, if not sooner!
I will still be able to swim in the afternoons at the YMCA pool, but I do enjoy my mornings.
Parents
Former Member
I see similar habits the same as you describe. I was taught in the old ways too, back before you were required to be holding the rescue tube at all times. Now the classes depend on that tube for the rescue.
We went through the classes and did submerged victim/active victim rescues mainly without the tube which is good training as well. As learned the different escapes moves (from the book, and from the teacher who gave the "ways that actually work" methods).
What happens now when that little 16 year old that can barely make the minimum swim distance/time has to go out into the deep water to help a struggling 250+ pound adult male that is grasping for anything to get themselves above water...and then POOF!! away slips the rescue tube and...YIKES!!
Maybe I am showing my age, but I was asked to continuously swim 2000 yards (I believe the time limit was 40 minutes?) and then immediately tred water for 30 minutes. It did not seem much to ask and everyone passed the test without issue.
Recently I asked one lifeguard what test they were given, and was told that it was ten lengths of the pool (250 yards) untimed and they could rest on the sides or hold the ropes if they cared to. This was at a YMCA. If true, such certification would be meaningless in my view. How can you save anyone from drowning if you are not fully confident in your own abilities?
I see similar habits the same as you describe. I was taught in the old ways too, back before you were required to be holding the rescue tube at all times. Now the classes depend on that tube for the rescue.
We went through the classes and did submerged victim/active victim rescues mainly without the tube which is good training as well. As learned the different escapes moves (from the book, and from the teacher who gave the "ways that actually work" methods).
What happens now when that little 16 year old that can barely make the minimum swim distance/time has to go out into the deep water to help a struggling 250+ pound adult male that is grasping for anything to get themselves above water...and then POOF!! away slips the rescue tube and...YIKES!!
Maybe I am showing my age, but I was asked to continuously swim 2000 yards (I believe the time limit was 40 minutes?) and then immediately tred water for 30 minutes. It did not seem much to ask and everyone passed the test without issue.
Recently I asked one lifeguard what test they were given, and was told that it was ten lengths of the pool (250 yards) untimed and they could rest on the sides or hold the ropes if they cared to. This was at a YMCA. If true, such certification would be meaningless in my view. How can you save anyone from drowning if you are not fully confident in your own abilities?
