Do any of you across this great land swim at a YMCA indoor facility that does NOT automatically close the pool whenever there are thunderstorms in the area?
Two of our three practices this week have been cancelled because of thunderstorms.
On another thread, someone posted how the total number of deaths from indoor pool electrocutions during thunderstorms--in the history of the world--total precisely zero.
I have made this argument endlessly to our Y authorities, all to no avail. Two university pools--Pitt and CMU--do NOT close their indoor pools because of lightning and, in fact, find the concept chortlesome.
If you do swim at a Y pool with a more enlightened policy, can you send word as to how you got your aquatic staff to override the (misguided) national YMCA policy about this?
Signed--
Slowly desiccating in Sewickley, Pa
Our program operates out 3 different YMCA's, 2 High Schools, and 2 Universities...They all have basically the same policy...This policy has been handed down by insurance carriers... The "Lightening Policy" for the pools reads something like this for indoor pools and outdoor pools "if the lifeguard see lightening bolts that appear to touch the ground or hear thunder then pool must cleared for 30 minutes" indoor and outdoor... Based on this facilities not wanting to accept possible liability have just made a facility policy...Thunder and Lighting..Clear the Pool...While we all think the ruling is out of line, you must understand we live in a very litigious society. Many of the pools in YMCA's are old and under today's standards are not grounded properly. Therefore the insurance companies have dictated the policy to the YMCA of the USA this is not necessarily a YMCA policy..In some cases to properly ground an old facilitiy maybe very cost productive, therefore it is easier and less expensive to clear the pool...I feel your pain..
Our program operates out 3 different YMCA's, 2 High Schools, and 2 Universities...They all have basically the same policy...This policy has been handed down by insurance carriers... The "Lightening Policy" for the pools reads something like this for indoor pools and outdoor pools "if the lifeguard see lightening bolts that appear to touch the ground or hear thunder then pool must cleared for 30 minutes" indoor and outdoor... Based on this facilities not wanting to accept possible liability have just made a facility policy...Thunder and Lighting..Clear the Pool...While we all think the ruling is out of line, you must understand we live in a very litigious society. Many of the pools in YMCA's are old and under today's standards are not grounded properly. Therefore the insurance companies have dictated the policy to the YMCA of the USA this is not necessarily a YMCA policy..In some cases to properly ground an old facilitiy maybe very cost productive, therefore it is easier and less expensive to clear the pool...I feel your pain..
