Texting Lifeguards – Tragedy in the making
Today I saw something I had never seen before – a lifeguard text messaging while on duty ! While I have seen swimming pool staff working while listening to music from a radio or the pool sound system (as opposed to “ear buds” or headphones), I had never seen an aquatic safety worker texting while in the chair. Because drowning can happen so quickly, and the cell phones and Blackberries require so much of the user’s attention, this is a recipe for disaster. I believe that swimming pool and diving life guards should not even have cell phones, blackberry or similar devices on them when they are patrolling and scanning the pool. It flies in the face of safety and the vigilance expected of water safety and rescue personnel.
Texting life guards is my unfortunate prediction for future litigation. Lawsuits in the past have been filed for claims involving:
- Lifeguards actions, inaction and oversight,
- Analysis of pool chemical handling, disease transmission and indoor air quality,
- Pool and aquatic facility construction, design and operation,
- Regulatory compliance (i.e., pool drain covers),
- Reconstruction of drownings, diving injuries, falls, etc.
If you or someone you know has been injured as the result of a pool or aquatics injury, please contact us at ABRAMS LANDAU or call (703)-796-9555.
I am an Aquatic Manager and just yesterday I terminated a lifeguard for the exact same actions. It happened once and there were no second chances. He is lucky to have been fired and not be on his way to court to try and explain to a family why he let their loved one drown.
Lifeguards are not there as a courtesy or an accessory-they have be ready to respond as every single person who enters the pool is a risk. Unsupervised kids are not the only ones drown. Experienced swimmers can suffer from sudden cardiac arrest or “shallow water blackout” and be gone without a sound in seconds. If a lifeguard on duty is doing ANYTHING besides scanning the water, they are putting everyone at risk, whether there are 2 people in the pool, or 200. This includes cleaning around the pool, eating on the stand, holding extended conversations with bystanders, listening to music on headphones, taking chemical readings and of course, texting or talking on a phone or radio. In a situation that involves coaching, teaching swim lessons, or water fitness, there should be TWO lifeguards-the teacher cannot teach and guard.
It is appalling that this lifeguard was not immediately reprimanded for his actions with suspension or termination. And yet, this is happening all over the U.S. One just has to hope that an innocent person won’t lose their life in this terrifying and senseless way because a lifeguard couldn’t go a few hours without being connected to the outside world.
I am an Aquatic Manager and just yesterday I terminated a lifeguard for the exact same actions. It happened once and there were no second chances. He is lucky to have been fired and not be on his way to court to try and explain to a family why he let their loved one drown.
Lifeguards are not there as a courtesy or an accessory-they have be ready to respond as every single person who enters the pool is a risk. Unsupervised kids are not the only ones drown. Experienced swimmers can suffer from sudden cardiac arrest or “shallow water blackout” and be gone without a sound in seconds. If a lifeguard on duty is doing ANYTHING besides scanning the water, they are putting everyone at risk, whether there are 2 people in the pool, or 200. This includes cleaning around the pool, eating on the stand, holding extended conversations with bystanders, listening to music on headphones, taking chemical readings and of course, texting or talking on a phone or radio. In a situation that involves coaching, teaching swim lessons, or water fitness, there should be TWO lifeguards-the teacher cannot teach and guard.
It is appalling that this lifeguard was not immediately reprimanded for his actions with suspension or termination. And yet, this is happening all over the U.S. One just has to hope that an innocent person won’t lose their life in this terrifying and senseless way because a lifeguard couldn’t go a few hours without being connected to the outside world.