Tragedy in my workout pool today

I teach swimming in freshman summer school physical education. The law in Indiana states that there must be 1 lifeguard per 25 students in the pool during any given class. The swimming instructors used to be required to have a WSI but this is no longer true. This summer we had approximately 45-55 students per block (4 blocks per day). There were 2 certified PE teachers (both swi and LGT"S) and 3 lifeguards. When the classes switched the lifeguards stayed on-deck and guarded the pool. (kept kids from coming back in or getting in early) I usually stayed in the pool with the lifeguards and I can say I never had a student try and get in early. I think this pool needs to invest in locking doors inbetween the pool and the locker rooms. The teachers must alway lock the doors after the students exit the pool. I hate to hear about things like this. Such a loss to a family and all of mankind :(

Unfortunate to hear about this. What a nightmare. We had a similar situation at our pool back in 02 or 03 where a HS water polo player was found the next morning when the covers were pulled. Somehow, her teammates and coach didn't notice her absence when they finished practice the night before. While staying at a Disneyland Hotel a few years ago, I witnessed a lifeguard being tested by the management. The management had a swimmer sneak some sort of a weighted blanket into the pool, deposit it on the pool bottom and the guard then has a limited amount of time to identify the emergency, dive in and retrieve the "victim". I've been to a number of pools in my life and this was the first time I've ever seen such a thing. Seems like a good idea to me...keeps guards on their toes.

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?

Even if there were lifeguards there, I am worried about the quality of lifeguarding. I see plenty of the younger ones wander off, gab with their friends, etc. They're there to watch for very rare events, and unfortunately this requires a great deal of mental fortitude. We watched the lifeguard asleep this morning as we were getting out. Luckily, he was only over seeing 2 age group teams and both teams had a coach on deck watching (ratio was low). So sad for this boy's family. I can't imagine how he wasn't found for an hour.

To be a lifeguard in Canada you must belong to this organization www.lifesaving.ca/main.php

Also, in my completely normal semi-rural high school, some kids spent a lot of the school day stoned. Stoners are prone to drowning?

A guy I work with, his younger brother is at school there, and said that the police arrested one person yesterday at the school, and are treating this as a homicide basically. I guess they interviewed all the students in the class and the teacher, according the the newspaper. Apparently this younger brother of my coworker said is that the boy who died was a "showboater" all the time, and some people didn't like him for that. Apparently he wasn't a good swimmer, and these kids knew that as well. Foul play?? Possibly. We'll just have to see what comes of it all.

We watched the lifeguard asleep this morning as we were getting out. Luckily, he was only over seeing 2 age group teams and both teams had a coach on deck watching (ratio was low). So sad for this boy's family. I can't imagine how he wasn't found for an hour. Yes very sad. The pool is cleared out for the change of classes. No one is in the pool until the next P.E. class session. The door should've been locked in between for that long of a period though. I don't know, I wasn't there.

This is so sad and so preventable. The average non swimmer/ poor swimmer parent is clueless about water safety. The average lifeguard's pay is so small that it cannot really be a budget issue.

I was a lifegaurd/LGI the whole time through highschool-college....we've always had to swim 500 yards nonstop freestyle (no hanging/stopping on walls for air), 25 yrds kick on your back keeping a 10lb? waterbrick to your chest/above water, then some retrieval skills with the waterbrick. The 500 is what seems to give the "non-swim team" kids trouble (most make it about 200-350 before giving out, and its not because they're old and decrepit(they're 15-18yr old kids!) It is usually due to a lack of any previous technique instruction. A day or two of a focusing on a few simple freestyle adjustments will usually bring these kids up to snuff with the 500. Its not the "these dang whipper snapper lifegaurds only have to do a 250! We had to do a 10000 fly in my day!" that bothers me at all...its the critical things, the important stuff like: CPR, AED, simple First Aid, and the big one SPINAL INJURY RESCUES. I swear at least half of the lifegaurds I worked with/trained growing up could not perform proper CPR, put an AED on, let alone do a safe SCI/backboarding rescue. (If I break my neck on the diving board, just leave me on the bottom of the pool, i'll take my chances waiting for the paramedics/firemen who i've seen do it right.) I guess my issue is the lack of emphasis on the big things....like a human's heart, lungs, spinal cord. I dare you, walk up to a lifegaurd who's texting/sleeping/daydreaming(or even scanning like they should!)and ask "what are the steps of CPR?" prepare to be let down. I know CPR, AEDs, espeically SCI's are not very common and MOST highschool lifegaurds wont ever experience them...I mean just about anyone can yank a panicked small child out of a pool(right?). It's that "one-in-a-million" chance a lifegaurd will be faced with a heart or spinal issue. They NEED to know CPR like the back of their iphone and also know where to put those leads at. Because when one of the noodlers suddenly stop, and start sinking while bubbles coming up....way too many lifegaurds i've worked with and trained, would flat panic and become a blank page. Suddenly forgetting everything...I guess this is what it ultimately boils down too. Don't forget folks, MOST non-open water gaurds are age 15-19...../rant, sorry