Lifeguard certification prepares Plains Pool for summer debut
<p>Tiga Ward practices a save on Head Lifeguard Mary Ellen Siegford at El Johnson Memorial Pool Park on Sunday.</p>
PLAINS – Prospective lifeguards jumped in the pool, swam laps and performed simulated rescues as the Plains pool prepared to open for the season on Sunday, June 8.
Soon to be lifeguards from Plains and Thompson Falls spent multiple days taking their lifeguard certification tests as the Plains pool gears up to open for the summer.
The El Johnson Memorial Pool Park served as the training ground for hopeful lifeguards on Sunday, June 8, as the youths completed a written examination on pool safety before entering the pool and taking their practical examinations.
The water portion of the certification process also involved lessons on how to assist someone struggling in the water and pool safety guidelines.
As one of the groups entered the pool, Head Lifeguard Mary Ellen Siegford explained that the certification process involved swimming laps, treading water, individually and with a brick to simulate carrying weight through the water, and swimming rescues.
The swimming rescues involved one lifeguard acting as a struggling swimmer, while two other lifeguards practiced assisting.
The simulated rescues gave the new lifeguards practice using a board stretcher to safely remove an injured person from the pool area, in order to receive adequate medical attention.
The certification took place one day before the pool at El Johnson Park was slated to open to the public for the summer season.
Siegford noted this year the pool was hoping to draw more adults to the recreation facilities than in years past.
“One of our goals this summer is to try and get adults to come out and swim,” Siegford said.
The head lifeguard added the pool would be hosting three lap swims throughout the day, with the hopes of bringing out crowds with the warm weather becoming a common theme as summer begins.
Water aerobics will also be featured for members of the community to take part in throughout the summer.
“We want to encourage people to come to the pool for water aerobics too,” Siegford said.
Siegford added the swim team had provided $1,000 for the propane, used to keep the pool comfortable for the duration of the season.
With the pool about to open, the propane has the pool at a balmy 80 degrees.
The pool park experienced a busy off-season, with a number of repairs and updates taking place to ensure the facility was ready to go once the summer got underway.
Many of the repairs were accomplished courtesy of the Plains Committee for Safe Swimming non-profit organization dedicated to keeping the pool open and safe.
In addition to the repairs, including a fresh paint job for the interior facilities of the pool, fixing cracks in the pavement around the pool, security cameras were also added to park grounds.
The cameras will hopefully deter any attempts to vandalize the property, in turn cutting down costs on repairs in future off-seasons.
With this year’s lifeguards trained and certified, the pool is now ready to open its gates to the public on Monday, June 9, as Plains residents seek relief from the rising temperatures of the warm summer months.