With most high school students already out of school and primary school students on their way out, the summer vacation is just about officially here. For many parents, that means time for swimming classes and to prepare for the rush of new swimmers, the two Ys, YMCA and YWCA, have joined forces to train lifeguards. Keith stopped by the YWCA's pool and has the story.
What you are watching is just a test - a mock rescue drill of a drowning. It is a very real threat when you have children in 6 feet of water but that won't happen if any of these young men and women are around. These 12 teenagers are lifeguards in-training under the guidance of Diane Erb from the International Red Cross.
Diane Erb, Life Guard Instructor
"These kids had to swim 500 yards which means they had to do 5 laps of cross-row, 5 laps of breast stroke, 5 laps of side stroke, and they had to pick up a 5 pound brick from the bottom of the pool. If they could pass that then they could stay and take the course, if they couldn't they were eliminated. They are being certified to rescue someone and give CPR and provide first-aid and know how to do multiple drowning if there was two people drowning at the same time."
Jamile Garbutt from the YWCA and Samir Rosado from the YMCA are two participants who will complete 28 hours of training for certification. Garbutt is already the head lifeguard at the Y's pool.
Jamile Garbutt, YWCA
"I've been working around pools before and we've encountered a lot of drowning, where people are about to drown, and we really didn't know how to save them and how to approach them and then there are people that pass out in the water and we don't know how to give them breathing. With this training it will help us and make us better and people come they will know that the Ys they have trained lifeguards, that makes us feel good and that makes the people feel safe."
Samir Rosado, YMCA
"We learn how to identify whose drowning and whose not because we know a lot of people like to cry wolf, you would say, and they fake drowning while playing with their friends so we as lifeguards have to know how to differ between an actual drowning or somebody just pretending. Also a normal swimmer wouldn't know how to hold an approach, someone actually drowning in a pool, and so here with this lifeguard training we learn how to cope with those situations."
Clara Cuellar, YMCA Executive Director
"Safety is critical and that's why we take it at two levels. We take it at the number of pupils per instructor as well as the fact that life guards are on duty, they are not in the water, so they take a stand back position, they are in a serious mode, they have their whistles, and they command respect. What will be great for us is that our instructors who will be in the pool are also certified so when we have to move in for assistance, we have enough people."
And so with rescues like these there is no reason summer swimming won't be safe - as long as these eyes are watching of course.
The free lifeguard training concludes tomorrow. The YMCA will also hold training for their swimming instructors. Swimming programs at both Ys begin early next month. You can register your child at their respective offices. The YMCA will hold a registration drive this Saturday in front of SAV-U and Brodies. They are accepting 180 applicants who will be spread out over July and August.
