The chair: beyond the moans and groans--what lifeguards have to say about in-service training.

Most pools require certified lifeguards to be on-deck during operational hours. But just having lifeguards on deck does not necessarily make pool patrons safer. If lifeguards cannot quickly and accurately perform critical rescue skills, they are no more valuable than the next sunbather.

Many articles have been written emphasizing the importance of in-service training for lifeguards from the vantage point of managers and facility operators. Suggestions have repeatedly been made to aquatic managers that in-service training should supplement certification training. Aquatic managers are urged to take responsibility and ensure staff is trained to the highest standard.

However, no research has truly explored the importance of in-service training from the perspective of lifeguards. What do lifeguards say about in-service training? How do lifeguards feel about practicing skills? During a study conducted in the spring of 2004, lifeguards strongly voiced support for and desire to participate in facility specific in-service training.

In order to gain a deep understanding of how lifeguards feel about in-service training, 10 lifeguards were individually interviewed. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with lifeguards currently employed at an indoor facility not requiring or encouraging any type of in-service training or practicing of skills. However, all lifeguards participating in interviews also had previous experiences working at other facilities, such as country clubs, waterparks, state parks, residential pools, community pools and university pools, and were encouraged to discuss these experiences as well.

In each interview, lifeguards consistently brought up issues of in-service training and confidence in skill abilities. Alarmingly, all 10 participating lifeguards reported being concerned about their ability to make a water rescue if an emergency situation occurred. Lifeguards continuously expressed concerns regarding their abilities to execute water rescues, and reported that participation in training activities increased confidence levels in their rescue skill abilities, as well as confidence in rescue skill abilities of co-workers.

Additionally, guards reported having increased respect for the organization with which they worked if in-service training was required. Not only did lifeguards express concern about rescue skill abilities, worries about differences in certification training compared to real-life working conditions were mentioned.

Comments made by lifeguards during interviews showed a lack of confidence and insecurity in rescue skill abilities. As one lifeguard put it, "When I am sitting on the stand, I think about what I would do in an emergency. I rehearse in my head what I would do in certain situations. Sometimes I look at people and wonder if I really had to save them, could I do it? Sometimes, with certain people, I know a rescue would be impossible. When those people are in the pool, I am just glad to see them leave. But the scary thing is, those people that would be difficult to save are probably the ones most likely to need help."

Echoing these concerns, another guard confided she had never participated in any in-service training of skills but, "practicing skills would be a plus. I know I can't remember how to do back-boarding." It is hard to imagine in this litigious society that any responsible aquatic manager would not include an in-service training program.

When discussing in-service training, a veteran lifeguard with 10 years of experience stated, "Practicing skills is so important and not done enough. Every place you work should have some monitoring system to make sure guards keep in shape and practice skills. If a facility has no in-service training, it doesn't give me much respect for the place. It makes me feel no affection towards the job. I feel more comfortable when I know the lifeguard on the other stand knows how to do their skills. It also gives the opportunity to learn the other guard's strengths and weaknesses. You know if this certain guard has a rescue he or she may need more help. In-service training is just a good thing."

According to this lifeguard, in-service training keeps guards in shape, makes the guard have more respect for the organization, as well as more confidence in fellow co-workers. In-service training also helps co-workers realize weakness in other employees, so in an emergency a stronger guard may know exactly what type of assistance the weaker guard may need.

According to Tom Griffiths, owner of the Aquatics Safety Group with more than 30 years experience in the field, in-service training is a necessity. "I think 9/11 actually taught us a lot about the importance of in-service training for lifeguards," he says. "So many more victims could have been saved when the World Trade Center was struck if they had simply rehearsed an emergency evacuation plan. Too many victims delayed their escapes and too many victims were in denial. From an Emergency Action Plan perspective, in-service training not only helps proper response, but also timely response."

Griffiths performed a survey of lifeguards in 1997 that showed only 72 percent of them were "very confident" in their lifeguarding skills. Of those surveyed, more than 80 percent thought in-service training was "very or fairly important."

Another lifeguard described what it was like to work at a waterpark one summer:

"Once a week, all summer, guards had to come in two hours early to do different training sessions. It was pretty tough. The company did a bunch of audits where somebody that worked there would fake a drowning or throw a little red ball out and the guard had so many seconds to find the victim and remove them from the water. Or the company would pull a guard off the stand and have a dummy right there and the guard would have to do CPR. Everybody was really prepared for anything. The lifeguards took their job seriously. If you failed a couple of skills tests, they would fire you. But the job would have been a lot more stressful if I hadn't been prepared. Without the extra training, I would sit there and think 'what if something happened?' and I would be scared. But I knew we practiced our skills in the in-service, and I handled the situation fine."

Statements from this lifeguard also highlight the positive outcomes of in-service training--it keeps guards alert, reduces stress and increases respect for the organization. Shouldn't all aquatic facilities want to be viewed as diligent when it comes to lifeguard training?

Lifeguards not only described positive outcomes of in-service training, but also referenced stark differences between lifeguard training and actual working environments. One lifeguard confessed, "In the lifeguard class, we are trained how to react to some situations with two guards or more. Well, I have never worked with another guard on deck at the same time. How am I supposed to pull a person out of the deep end or deal with a spinal injury when it is just me?"

This comment shows a deep insecurity in the ability to perform critical lifesaving skills. What parent would feel safe leaving their child at a pool if they knew the lifeguard didn't know how to respond in some emergency situations?

These revelations by lifeguards is alarming, yet positive to aquatic managers and aquatic facility patrons. It is clear that lifeguards are working even though their skills are inadequate. But on the bright side, lifeguards truly want to practice skills and participate in facility specific in-service training. Aquatic managers must be able to look beyond initial moaning and groaning from lifeguards about spending extra hours at work or coming to work early, and realize lifeguards truly appreciate the opportunity.

It is imperative for aquatic managers to know how well guards can perform rescue skills. Aquatic managers also need to understand how lifeguards feel about their rescue skill abilities. Aquatic managers should talk to their employees and listen to what lifeguards have to say.

Weaknesses identified by lifeguards should then be incorporated into in-service training. Having more confident lifeguards benefits aquatic managers, pool patrons and the lifeguards themselves. It may take extra time, but the benefits of in-service training far outweigh the costs.

Elements of Effective In-Service Training:

In order to be effective, in-service training programs should:

1. Be facility specific

2. Practice all steps of the Emergency Action Plan (including using breathing barriers and gloves)

3. Involve local emergency response personnel

4. Involve lifeguards in a critique of the Emergency Action Plan

5. Have scheduled as well as surprise skills audits

6. Include CPR and First Aid along with Water Rescue Skills

7. Be documented

8. Correct any problem areas

9. Hold lifeguards accountable for their performance

10. Be Fun!