Aquatics Director Toolkit: Steps You Can Take
Below we have compiled all of the steps you can take included throughout the Aquatics Director Toolkit. Please bookmark this webpage and reference it as needed.
The Basics
Lifeguard Preparedness
Walk on your pool deck or waterfront today and ask your guards the following questions:
- In the uniform you have on, and with the equipment you have, do you feel confident that you could make a rescue today?
- Are there any sections of your area of responsibility that you are having difficulty seeing?
- Is there anything that is distracting you from being singularly focused on scanning?
- Are you confident that while scanning, you would identify unusual behavior, or an object at the bottom of the water?
- Are there any policies or rules that you feel uncomfortable enforcing?
Facility Preparedness
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I confident that all of my lifeguards and staff know where our equipment is?
- When was the last time our equipment was checked to make sure it was properly working and not expired?
- When was the last time we rehearsed our emergency action plan from start to finish (identification, response, extrication, on-deck care, etc.)?
- Am I confident that staff would bring all necessary equipment to an emergency and would know how to properly use it?
If you are not confident in any of your answers today, make a plan on how and when you will address these gaps.
Protecting Swimmers
Test. Mark. Protect.
Observe your organization’s Test, Mark, Protect process from start to finish. Ask yourself the following questions as you observe:
- Am I confident that our Test, Mark, Protect policy is being implemented consistently among lifeguards, locations, programs, etc?
- Am I confident that every swimmer who needed to be swim tested today received a swim test?
- Am I confident that our marking procedures are simple enough that lifeguards can clearly identify non-swimmers?
- Am I confident that all swimmers that need to be protected in the water are?
- How can I better communicate our policy so that we have community buy-in, and everyone understands its importance?
If you are not confident in any of your answers today, make a plan on how and when you will address these gaps.
Lifeguard Positioning
Walk onto your pool deck today and do the following:
- Approach a lifeguard on scanning duty
- Position yourself so that you are able to hear them talk, but not block their view of the water
- Ask the guard the following questions:
- Is there any glare in your current area of responsibility that is preventing you from seeing the bottom?
- Are there any obstructions in your current area of responsibility that are preventing you from seeing the bottom?
- If a swimmer was in trouble in your area of responsibility, are you confident that you would be able to identify and respond quickly?
- Depending on the guard’s answers, work with them to resolve any visibility issues they are experiencing
Lifeguard Training
Ongoing Training
Ask yourself the following questions:
- When was the last time my guards received training?
- Is the training that we are providing lifeguards realistic to what they may face in an emergency?
- When practicing rescues and on-deck care, are our lifeguards getting hands-on experience with real human bodies?
- How can we incorporate more opportunities for our lifeguards to practice their skills?
Based on your answers, develop a plan today on how you will make sure all lifeguards are getting realistic, ongoing training.
Unannounced Drills
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do my lifeguards expect to get in the water every day?
- When was the last time my lifeguards completed a realistic drill from start to finish?
- How can we incorporate a live victim into our drills, so that our guards can practice on a real human body extricating them from the water, clearing airways, getting a pulse, etc.?
Make a plan to implement a drill this week to give lifeguards realistic practice.
Policies & Procedures
Emergency Action Plan
Review the What to Consider in Your Emergency Action Plan questions above and ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I confident that I know the answers to all of these questions?
- Based on these questions, what needs to be changed or updated in our emergency action plan?
- Am I confident that my guards would know the answers to all of these questions?
- When was the last time that my staff was trained on our emergency action plan, and completed it from start to finish?
Documentation
Ask yourself the following question:
- Am I confident, that if we had an aquatic incident today, I would be able to locate and pull any documentation that was requested?
If you are not confident, or if documentation has not been a priority at your organization, start developing a system today.