Everyone in the gym wears a mask (mandated in our state in the gym) however, one of the guards spent most of the hour I was swimming in the chair (in between breaks) with the mask off, unless she had to speak to the other guard. She's taken short mask breaks in the past, but this was ridiculous. All member have to wear the mask in the gym, while working out, on the deck, etc. and an employee of the fitness center doesn't. I'm surprised the other "main" guard has let this go, since he never removes his mask.
Oh, I think lifeguards are valuable, necessary, and serve a purpose. I just don't believe they are always necessary. I don't think lap swimmers or club practices are really places where they are necessary. Not knowing the details on the Emory swimmer, where was teh coach? Other swimmers? And even when they are present, they are not always going to be able to save the life of a swimmer who has pushed things too hard (e.g. www.wcvb.com/.../8230091 - one of our assistant coaches somehow knew about this, and Nathaniel indicated he was dead before he got to the wall).
I think ideally, we should all have a buddy we swim with, or at least not swim in the pool alone. I do it, unfortunately, as that is when I can swim.
Where I *DO* think lifeguards are absolutely beneficial are more recreational swimming. For people who are more at risk from a lack of skill or conditioning. Or if you have a large, multi lane public pool that attracts its large share of out of shape noodlers, combined with some free swim types, they are by all means a good idea.
The cost thing is a real issue. There are probably fewer than a dozen people who use the pool at my Gold's. But if they put a lifeguard there...$15/hr times 19 hjours a day, plus other expenses (payroll taxes, any benefits) are going to push it well over $300/day. If smaller gyms with small lap pools had to incur that, they would probably take out the pools, or clsoe them except for the water aerobics classes.
Oh, I think lifeguards are valuable, necessary, and serve a purpose. I just don't believe they are always necessary. I don't think lap swimmers or club practices are really places where they are necessary. Not knowing the details on the Emory swimmer, where was teh coach? Other swimmers? And even when they are present, they are not always going to be able to save the life of a swimmer who has pushed things too hard (e.g. www.wcvb.com/.../8230091 - one of our assistant coaches somehow knew about this, and Nathaniel indicated he was dead before he got to the wall).
I think ideally, we should all have a buddy we swim with, or at least not swim in the pool alone. I do it, unfortunately, as that is when I can swim.
Where I *DO* think lifeguards are absolutely beneficial are more recreational swimming. For people who are more at risk from a lack of skill or conditioning. Or if you have a large, multi lane public pool that attracts its large share of out of shape noodlers, combined with some free swim types, they are by all means a good idea.
The cost thing is a real issue. There are probably fewer than a dozen people who use the pool at my Gold's. But if they put a lifeguard there...$15/hr times 19 hjours a day, plus other expenses (payroll taxes, any benefits) are going to push it well over $300/day. If smaller gyms with small lap pools had to incur that, they would probably take out the pools, or clsoe them except for the water aerobics classes.
