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..
Mel, from what I understand, it's not even a question of grounding. There has never, in the history of the universe, or at least the history of Earth, been a fatality (or even an injury!) from lightning in an indoor pool.
What's more, even if you buy the Insurance Makes Us Close the Pool explanation, they should also dictate the showers be closed down, too. No Y does this because they don't want to send staff members down to the locker rooms to police shower behavior--and they don't want a bunch of angry members leaving the facility soaked in sweat.
The policy makes no sense whatsoever. If someone is going to sue, they will sue because they got zapped in the shower! (But they won't get zapped in the shower, because such zapping DOES NOT HAPPEN, EVER!)
Mel, you are the official USMS liaison to the YMCA, or at least you once were, correct?
You have singlehandedly helped promote our sport of masters swimming more than just about anybody alive.
You are a heroic figure and someone who will be taken seriously!
Please, I beseech you, can you petition the YMCA National Board to examine their policy regarding indoor pool closures and lightning--maybe even ask them to strong arm the insurance companies to look at the actuarial risk and justify this absurd and anti-health policy? Perhaps another insurance company would sell Y's pool insurance without this ridiculous requirement to clear the pool when there is only the distant sound of thunder!
As a little tiny lilliputian person in the world of swimming, I feel totally inept and impotent to do anything whatsover to affect a change here.
But you are Mel Goldstein!
You, Mel, can bring sense to administators and insurance actuaries.
You can save swimming practices all across the fruited and besogged plane!
Please have a word with somebody, and your legend will grow beyond all measure.
Thanks. In all seriousness, so many, many, many swimmers would be grateful if you could do something. Just in our little neck of the woods, tonight's was the fourth practice in the last few weeks cancelled because of thunder.
Help!
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..
Mel, from what I understand, it's not even a question of grounding. There has never, in the history of the universe, or at least the history of Earth, been a fatality (or even an injury!) from lightning in an indoor pool.
What's more, even if you buy the Insurance Makes Us Close the Pool explanation, they should also dictate the showers be closed down, too. No Y does this because they don't want to send staff members down to the locker rooms to police shower behavior--and they don't want a bunch of angry members leaving the facility soaked in sweat.
The policy makes no sense whatsoever. If someone is going to sue, they will sue because they got zapped in the shower! (But they won't get zapped in the shower, because such zapping DOES NOT HAPPEN, EVER!)
Mel, you are the official USMS liaison to the YMCA, or at least you once were, correct?
You have singlehandedly helped promote our sport of masters swimming more than just about anybody alive.
You are a heroic figure and someone who will be taken seriously!
Please, I beseech you, can you petition the YMCA National Board to examine their policy regarding indoor pool closures and lightning--maybe even ask them to strong arm the insurance companies to look at the actuarial risk and justify this absurd and anti-health policy? Perhaps another insurance company would sell Y's pool insurance without this ridiculous requirement to clear the pool when there is only the distant sound of thunder!
As a little tiny lilliputian person in the world of swimming, I feel totally inept and impotent to do anything whatsover to affect a change here.
But you are Mel Goldstein!
You, Mel, can bring sense to administators and insurance actuaries.
You can save swimming practices all across the fruited and besogged plane!
Please have a word with somebody, and your legend will grow beyond all measure.
Thanks. In all seriousness, so many, many, many swimmers would be grateful if you could do something. Just in our little neck of the woods, tonight's was the fourth practice in the last few weeks cancelled because of thunder.
Help!
