One of the best ways you can prevent drowning is to ensure that your children receive swimming lessons as early as possible.

Additional steps you can take to improve water safety

• Remain within arm’s reach of your children when in a pool, lake, or pond.
• Provide constant oversight of any children swimming in your pool.
• Add safety barriers, including full fencing around your pool, gate alarms, and locks.
• Always use lifejackets when boating.
• When swimming in a public pool, choose a location where lifeguards are provided.

Providing safety and peace of mind for our clients and their families is our mission and the foundation for everything we do. If you have questions about safety at your residential or commercial pool, give us a call.

Hastings Water Works Encourages Water Safety

According to the CDC, drowning is the number one cause of unintentional death for children between the ages of 1 and 4. And according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 390 deaths a year on average are attributed to drowning in a swimming pool or spa.

We’re dedicated to the health and safety of our community. National Water Safety Month provides an opportunity to talk about the steps we can all take to make water safer and prevent drownings. Every year, we participate in the effort to reduce the number of kids lost to accidental drowning. Water safety is crucial.

If you’re interested in applying for a lifeguard position with Hastings Water Works – or know someone who is – applications are now open.

Lifeguards for Hastings Water Works have the opportunity to earn extra money this season by bringing in other whistle-worthy applicants.

You can earn up to $650 extra by referring 6 people. Call us to learn more, or apply today and start earning those referral bonuses!

Apply Today > Interview > Get Certified within 14 days > Get Hired > Refer Others > Earn Bonuses

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So, why consider being a lifeguard? Not only is the job flexible, local, and critical to pool safety, but for the lifeguards themselves, the experience is one that stays with them throughout their lives. The skills learned as a lifeguard can be used in other settings. It’s also a great first job, a great way to earn money for college, and a flexible job for college students who are home for the summer.

If you’re interested in applying for a lifeguard position with Hastings Water Works – or know someone who is – applications are now open. 

Not All Heroes Wear Capes – Some Carry Whistles

If you ask any Hastings Water Works lifeguard, they’ll tell you that they spend a lot of time reminding kids not to run on the deck, and when they’re not on duty at the pool, they’re performing pool maintenance. But there is a greater reason we have lifeguards. They contribute to safety and peace of mind. When someone is in trouble, they are there. Read about our most recent Hastings Heroes:
 

Jake and Tom     Tom      Alex     

If you’re interested in applying for a lifeguard position with Hastings Water Works – or know someone who is – applications are now open. 

To learn more about our lifeguard applications and training process, please visit our employment opportunities page here and our lifeguard page here.

We offer training classes for new and returning lifeguards. No experience necessary.

What others say about being a lifeguard with Hastings Water Works:

“I really like the lifeguards and managers, everyone’s so nice and fun to be around and they make the long days more enjoyable. It’s a great job, and I honestly love it.”

Rachel

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We’re dedicated to the health and safety of our community. Every year, we participate in the effort to reduce the number of kids lost to accidental drowning. Water safety is crucial.

Water Safety Tips Courtesy from the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF)

• Teach children water safety and swimming skills as early as possible.
• Always brief babysitters on water safety, emphasizing the need for constant supervision.
• Appoint a designated watcher to monitor children during social gatherings at or near pools.
• Equip doors and windows that exit to a pool area with alarms.
• Install a poolside phone, preferably a cordless model, with emergency numbers programmed into speed-dial.
• Post CPR instructions and learn the procedures.
• Keep rescue equipment poolside. Don’t wait for the paramedics to arrive because you will lose valuable lifesaving seconds. Four to six minutes without oxygen can cause permanent brain damage or death.
• Keep a first aid kit at poolside.
• Install four-sided isolation fencing, at least five feet high, equipped with self-closing and self-latching gates, that completely surrounds the pool and prevents direct access from the house and yard.
• Maintain constant visual contact with children in a pool or pool area. If a child is missing, check the pool first; seconds count in preventing death or disability.
• Don’t use flotation devices as a substitute for supervision. Never allow a young child in a pool without an adult.
• Don’t leave objects such as toys that might attract a child in the pool and pool area.
• Never prop the gate to a pool area open.
• Don’t rely on swimming lessons, life preservers or other equipment to make a child “water safe.”
• Never assume someone else is watching a child in a pool area.
• Don’t leave chairs or other items of furniture where a child could use them to climb into a fenced pool area.
• Don’t think you’ll hear a child who’s in trouble in the water; child drowning is a silent death, with no splashing to alert anyone that the child is in trouble.

Get Swimming Lessons for Your Child

While we are not able to offer swimming lessons this year because of Covid restrictions, formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by more than 80%. Until lessons are able to resume, even more caution should be taken with swim safety,

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As commercial pool, including pools at condo and apartment complexes, city-operated pools, and private club pools – begin to reopen, there are several compliance requirements to consider.

To help our commercial pool clients meet the new safety requirements to safely reopen, Hastings Water Works has developed a guide to help you understand Ohio’s recommendations. You can download the guide here.

Hastings Water Works can provide all required COVID-19 related signage upon request.

Contact your service manager or lifeguard manager to place your order, or email us at services@hastingswaterworks.com.

Download the commercial pool social distancing sign and decal brochure here.

Message from the CDC for Commercial Pools

There is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to people through water in swimming pools, hot tubs, or splash pads, or through fresh or marine water (such as in lakes, rivers, ponds, and oceans). Maintaining proper water disinfection with chlorine or bromine should inactivate the virus in pools, hot tubs, and splash pads.

Operators and managers of public pools, hot tubs, splash pads, or fresh or marine beaches should continue to follow federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial guidance and work with local health officials.

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Safety Fence

Installing a safety fence can prevent children, pets, or others from even approaching your pool. When adding a safety fence, you can choose to enclose just the pool or your entire yard. Be sure you remove anything that would make it easier to climb the fence.  

Remove Access 

If you have an above-ground pool, safety is still critical. Remove stairs or ladders that provide access to the pool.

Door and Gate Alarms

No matter how vigilant you are, it’s possible someone will try to enter the pool area. A gate or door alarm can alert you so that you can prevent unauthorized entry before anyone comes to harm.

Pool Covers – Not Just for Protecting the Pool

Having a pool cover protects your pool from debris and keeps you from having to perform weekly maintenance during the cold winter months. A pool cover can also help inhibit algae growth.  Today’s mesh pool safety covers are also an important way to keep people safe, since the covers are strong enough to keep heavy objects from falling into the pool. Unlike traditional pool covers, safety pool covers can support the weight of people, pets, or even a car, should one attempt to land in your pool.

Check Your Pool Regularly

Even when your pool is unused and closed for the season, it is important to be in the habit of checking the pool on a regular basis. Walk the perimeter of your safety fence. Make sure there are no gaps and that the lock hasn’t been tampered with.  

Talk About Pool Safety

Continue to have pool safety conversations with children living in your house – even if they are older. There’s no harm in reminding your kids about pool safety and how important it is to still follow the rules, regardless of the winter weather.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

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Lifeguards: Glorified Babysitters or Everyday Heroes?

Ask any lifeguard and they’ll tell you that most of the time they feel like glorified babysitters. They go through dozens of hours of training to become professionally certified to save a life. And then they spend most of their time reprimanding kids, asking them to stop running, refrain from horseplay, or keep their feet out of the pool during break time. Unfortunately, many parents tend to relax when a lifeguard is on duty, focusing more on getting a tan, chatting with friends, or spending time on their phones.  Because of this, our lifeguards must maintain an even higher level of alert. And maybe most of the time, that’s who a lifeguard is: someone to keep the kids from getting hurt. But in those moments that matter – when someone is in distress, struggling in the water, or even needs help on the side of the road – our lifeguards are there.

There’s More to Lifeguarding than Just Sitting in the Chair

Lifeguards aren’t only responsible for the safety of patrons. On their “breaks,” they may have to test water chemistry, spot-check and tidy the bathrooms, skim debris from the pool, enforce rules, and pick up trash around the deck. Lifeguards are also responsible for checking pool passes and ensuring that members and their guests sign in. Lifeguards don’t just keep people safe; they maintain the pool and the pool area for everyone’s safety.

When there is an incident, they are responsible for completing the paperwork, documenting what happened and what was done to address the incident. There’s more routine than heroics involved when it comes to being a lifeguard, but in those moments when we need them, the heroes are there.

Why Do Lifeguards Choose the Life?

Sometimes, people think being a lifeguard will simply be a fun summer job – and it can be. But what makes a lifeguard a lifeguard is that desire and commitment to keep people safe – to always be on alert no matter how peaceful and quiet the day seems. It’s not the right fit for everyone, but for those who choose this profession, it’s the only life they can imagine.

When it comes to lifeguarding, we always tell our Hastings Water Works lifeguards that it’s not if something happens but a matter of when something happens. Our lifeguards are required to be “rescue ready” at all times. To ensure the highest level of preparedness, our lifeguards are required to attend four hours of in-service training per month to practice their skills and help ensure that they will recall their training when the need arises.

We’re proud of the lifeguards we train and employ, and we are proud of our programs, systems, and processes that keep them prepared. If you think you’d be a good fit, Hastings Water Works is always looking for a few great people to add to our lifeguarding staff. Learn more about the job and apply.

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According to the Ohio Department of Health, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in children ages 1 to 4 in Ohio; it is the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in children ages 5 to 9 and 10 to 14. Survivors of severe drowning incidents can experience long-term disabilities, including memory problems, learning deficiencies, and loss of basic cognitive functioning. According to the CDC, one in five children under the age of 14 years die from drowning, adding up to more than 350 children a year.

We are committed to helping families enjoy swimming safely and to the prevention of drowning deaths. We recommend the following safe swimming tips:

Swimming Lessons

Every family member should know how to swim, and the Red Cross provides a list of minimum skills swimmers should possess. Hastings Water Works offers clients swim lessons for children 3 years old through adult. Learn-to-Swim lessons are offered for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced, and are taught comparable to the American Red Cross Learn-to-Swim guidelines. All of our instructors are certified American Red Cross lifeguards. Schedule swim lessons for your family members now.

Proper Fencing and Safety Equipment

One of the biggest risks of drowning comes from a child reaching a pool without anyone’s knowledge. Proper fencing and security around your pool can help ensure that this never happens to you. A self-closing fence that is at least four feet tall around the pool deck is recommended. Have U.S. Coast Guard approved life rings nearby at all times.

Learn CPR

The quicker the response, the more likely a drowning victim can be resuscitated. Learn CPR. Get certified.

Keep Small Children within Reach

Small children, even ones who know how to swim, are at the highest risk. A parent or guardian should be within arm’s reach at all times. Do not rely on flotation devices, such as water wings or pool floats, as a safety measure, and never leave children unattended. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by a cell phone or anything else while kids are in and around water. Remember: Babies can drown in an inch of water.

Designate a Water Watcher

SafeKids.org recommends designating a water watcher. “When children are swimming and there are several adults present, make sure kids are actively supervised at all times by choosing a Water Watcher. A Water Watcher is a responsible adult who agrees to watch the kids in the water without distractions and wear a Water Watcher card. After a certain amount of time (such as 15-minutes), the Water Watcher card is passed to another adult, who is responsible for the active supervision.”

To the families of those children who recently lost their lives in drowning accidents, the entire Hastings Water Works family sends our love and prayers.

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You are not Superman or Wonder Woman.

Don’t believe the myth that drowning only occurs because of neglectful parents who don’t watch their children closely. Drowning can happen in seconds, without a sound, and with parents only steps away. Parents should take precautions when children are in and around water, and children should always remain in sight.

Flotation devices are not substitutes for adult supervision.

A child may be confident in the water with an inflatable tube, water wings, or a life jacket, but accidents can still happen. Inflatable toys can flip, and a life jacket that is not secured properly can slip off. Never assume that you can turn your back for even a couple moments. For infants and small toddlers especially, it is recommended that adult supervision be hands-on.

CPR truly does save lives.

If you have a backyard pool or frequent a community pool, obtain CPR certification. Classes are offered in Northeast Ohio through the American Red Cross. If an accident were to occur, you could save someone’s life. It’s worth a few hours out of your day to learn lifesaving skills.

Don’t invite temptation.

Water toys and uncovered pools are a big temptation for children of all ages. A child might wander to the edge of the pool and try to reach for a toy, with no intention of trying to swim. Older kids might dare each other to jump into open pools at night, when no adult supervision is present. Scenarios like these can all lead to drowning, and by removing easy access to the water and associated toys, you can prevent an accident. Your pool should be fenced in and secured with a locked gate and cover.

Educate your children, too.

Drowning prevention starts with all of us. Before your children even step outside, you should have a serious talk about the dangers of pools, spas, and any other body of water your child may frequent. Let your children know that they should never go swimming without adult supervision, and that it’s okay to back out of an activity if it looks unsafe.

Swimming can be an exciting summer activity, but without the proper precautions and education, it can also be a dangerous one. Even the best swimmers can have accidents (which is why it is recommended that adults never swim alone either). Drowning can be prevented simply by knowing where children are at all times and taking the proper steps to eliminate hazards.

During National Drowning Prevention Month – and year-round – take steps to ensure the safety of everyone in and around bodies of water.

Are you ready to open your pool for the summer? We have slots available for pool openings as well as ongoing cleaning services for both residential and commercial pools. If you operate a commercial pool, Hastings Water Works can help you with your lifeguard staffing needs.  Just get in touch; then, relax and enjoy your pool.

Additional Pool Safety Resources:

See Governor John R. Kasich’s proclamation

Download the PoolSafely.gov guide [PDF]

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But having a lifeguard at water’s edge doesn’t always mean your pool is safe.

The statistics are sobering. On average, 10 people a day die from unintentional drowning. More than one in 5 drowning deaths involves a child 14 or younger. Some of those cases involve pools where life guards were on duty.

“Early Show” Consumer Correspondent Susan Koeppen told the story of Yoni Gottesman.

Yoni was just 4 years old when his parents took him to summer camp.

His mother, Anat Gottesman, said, “I remember when I left him in the morning. He said, ‘Mommy, I’m so happy. Bye bye. We’ll see you later.'”

But that was the last they would see Yoni alive.

Read the full story on CBS:

When Lifeguard On Duty Doesn’t Mean “Safe”

Hastings Water Works is committed to delivering safety and peace of mind.

What it means when there’s a Hastings Water Works lifeguard on duty:

Safety, supervision and maintenance, in the water and out

• Affiliated with the American Red Cross, the largest primary lifeguard certification protocol in the world.
• Our staff includes professional trained Lifeguards, Water Safety Instructors (WSI), Lifeguard Instructors (LGI), Water Safety Instruc­tor Trainer (WSIT), Lifeguard Instructor Trainer (LGIT) and Aquatic Examiner.
• Over the past five years, 26 of our lifeguards have been ranked in the top 100 Golden Guards annually, out of some 35,000 guards worldwide. Ten of those were in 2008 alone!
• Hastings Water Works employs a full-time, year-round aquatics department staff, including an Aquatics Director, Director of Lifeguard Operations and assistants.
• We also employ a staff of 15 full-time, year-round technicians who are also certified lifeguards for immediate coverage or emergency response when you need a lifeguard on duty now.
• Hastings Water Works “Learn to Swim” program is comprised of two-week sessions with seven levels of instruction. The program is conducted by our certified lifeguards, who receive additional “Learn to Swim” training and certification.
• Lifeguards are employees of Hastings Water Works, which handles all training, certification, payroll liabilities, recruiting, hiring, insurance and risk management.

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Before families head to the beach or pool this Memorial Day, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has updated guidance on water safety and drowning prevention. In its updated policy, the AAP has revised its guidance on swimming lessons and highlights new drowning risks – including large, inexpensive, portable and inflatable pools – that have emerged in the past few years.

Fortunately, drowning rates have fallen steadily from 2.68 per 100,000 in 1985 to 1.32 per 100,000 in 2006. But drowning continues to be the second leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 19, claiming the lives of roughly 1,100 children in 2006. Toddlers and teenaged boys are at greatest risk.

“To protect their children, parents need to think about layers of protection,” said Jeffrey Weiss, MD, FAAP, lead author of the policy statement and technical report, which will be published in the July print issue of Pediatrics and released early online May 24.

“Children need to learn to swim,” Dr. Weiss said. “But even advanced swimming skills cannot ‘drown-proof’ a child of any age. Parents must also closely supervise their children around water and know how to perform CPR. A four-sided fence around the pool is essential.”

A fence that completely surrounds the pool – isolating it from the house – can cut drowning risk in half. Unfortunately, laws regarding pool fencing may have dangerous loopholes. Large, inflatable above-ground pools can contain thousands of gallons of water and may even require filtration equipment, so they are left filled for weeks at a time. But because they are considered “portable,” these pools often are exempt from local building codes requiring pool fencing. From 2004 to 2006, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported 47 deaths of children related to inflatable pools.

“Because some of these pools have soft sides, it is very easy for a child to lean over and fall headfirst into the water,” Dr. Weiss said. “These pools pose a constant danger.”

In the new policy, the AAP reinforces its existing recommendation that most children age 4 and older should learn to swim, but the AAP is now more open toward classes for younger children. In the past, the AAP advised against swimming lessons for children ages 1 to 3 because there was little evidence that lessons prevented drowning or resulted in better swim skills, and there was a concern parents would become less vigilant about supervising a child who had learned some swimming skills.

But new evidence shows that children ages 1 to 4 may be less likely to drown if they have had formal swimming instruction. The studies are small, and they don’t define what type of lessons work best, so the AAP is not recommending mandatory swim lessons for all children ages 1 to 4 at this time. Instead, the new guidance recommends that parents should decide whether to enroll an individual child in swim lessons based on the child’s frequency of exposure to water, emotional development, physical abilities, and certain health concerns related to pool water infections and pool chemicals.

“Not every child will be ready to learn to swim at the same age,” Dr. Weiss said. “Swimming lessons can be an important part of the overall protection, which should include pool barriers and constant, capable supervision.”

The AAP does not recommend formal water safety programs for children younger than 1 year of age. The water-survival skills programs for infants may make compelling videos for the Internet, but no scientific study has yet demonstrated these classes are effective, the policy states.

The updated policy also outlines the danger of body entrapment and hair entanglement in a pool or spa drain. Special drain covers and other devices that release the pressure in a drain can prevent such incidents.

AAP offers specific advice for parents:

• Never – even for a moment – leave small children alone or in the care of another young child while in bathtubs, pools, spas or wading pools, or near irrigation ditches or standing water. Bath seats cannot substitute for adult supervision. Empty water from buckets and other containers immediately after use. To prevent drowning in toilets, young children should not be left alone in the bathroom.
• Closely supervise children in and around water. With infants, toddlers and weak swimmers, an adult should be within an arm’s length. With older children and better swimmers, an adult should be focused on the child and not distracted by other activities.
• If children are in out-of-home child care, ask about exposure to water and the ratio of adults to children.
• If you have a pool, install a four-sided fence that is at least 4 feet high to limit access to the pool. The fence should be hard to climb (not chain-link) and have a self-latching, self-closing gate. Families may consider pool alarms and rigid pool covers as additional layers of protection, but neither can take the place of a fence.
• Children need to learn to swim. AAP supports swimming lessons for most children 4 years and older. Classes may reduce the risk of drowning in younger children as well, but because children develop at different rates, not all children will be ready to swim at the same age.
• Parents, caregivers and pool owners should learn CPR.
• Do not use air-filled swimming aids (such as inflatable arm bands) in place of life jackets. They can deflate and are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
• All children should wear a life jacket when riding in a boat. Small children and nonswimmers should also wear one at water’s edge, such as on a river bank or pier.
• Parents should know the depth of the water and any underwater hazards before allowing children to jump in. The first time you enter the water, jump feet first; don’t dive.
• When choosing an open body of water for children to swim in, select a site with lifeguards. Swimmers should know what to do in case of rip currents (swim parallel to the shore until out of the current, then swim back to the shore).
• Counsel teenagers about the increased risk of drowning when alcohol is involved.

Read more about pool safety.

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