Att hatzala wives a question for u

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Jul 11 2017, 3:41 pm

Is it safe to swim in a pool without a lifeguard? Please can u ask your dh for us? I'm concerned to go to one without a lifeguard as I'm not a good swimmer at all. I have basic swimming skills but fear water.

Please help us out here. Thank u so so much! 🙂

tigerwife

Tue, Jul 11 2017, 3:44 pm

I'm not a wife of a hatzala member, but I was a lifeguard.

It is not safe to go swimming without a lifeguard.

What would you do if someone becomes distressed in the water? There isn't enough time to call hatzala. Would you know how to pull them out?

amother

Puce

Tue, Jul 11 2017, 4:02 pm

amother wrote:

Is it safe? No.
Do people do it? Yes.
Will Hatzolah endorse it? NO.
Don't go into a pool unless YOU feel secure enough to be in there without a lifeguard.

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Jul 11 2017, 4:29 pm

tigerwife wrote:

No and I don't want to take responsibility if it happens and I don't do the right thing. Thanks so much for a voice of reason

Iymnok

Tue, Jul 11 2017, 4:39 pm

I can swim well and have learned water safety, but not lifeguarding. I would swim in a pool without a lifeguard. If I'm by myself or with other swimmers. With small children, or others with fears or lack of water safety knowledge, I'd want a lifeguard around.
I know my own comforts and capabilities, not others'.

amother

Lawngreen

Tue, Jul 11 2017, 8:39 pm

Lifeguard here:

DO NOT swim in a pool that is unsupervised by a lifeguard. If it is a public pool or a pool you are paying to swim in, talk to the administrator and ask why a lifeguard is not on duty.
If it is a private pool, in a private home, the owner or someone in the home should be certified in water safety/lifeguarding, and be equipped with first aid kits/water safety equipment in case of emergency.

Please be safe rather than sorry... You are worth it.

Kiwi Bubby

Tue, Jul 11 2017, 9:33 pm

At the very least swim with at least 3 other people. 1 to call for help and 2 to help the struggling swimmer.

have a flotation device handy to throw to a struggling swimmer.
Have a phone near the pool.
Keep an eye on each other to watch for signs of distress.
Remember that a struggling swimmer can push her rescuer under the water and cause both to drown.
Be vigilant

Miri7

Tue, Jul 11 2017, 9:44 pm

I would say my answer is that it depends.

The number one thing is supervision. Sitting on the poolside doesn't count. You need to actively pay attention. I keep my kids within arms reach until they pass the swim test. I actively scan the pool watching my kids. I like it best when it's not a big public pool full of people, but just a family pool with a few kids.
It makes it easier to track everyone.

When we are at my in-laws and the kids are swimming, one adult is assigned at all times as the active watcher. I feel like it's dangerous when there are lots of grow ups and people assume that the kids are being watched but in reality no one is watching.

Remember that drowning isn't a dramatic event. A drowning person is the one who's quietly bobbing then sinking below the surface.

You need to have a strong swimmer who could pull someone up and out of the pool. That can be a lifeguard or a grownup. I have jumped into the pool fully dressed when it looked like my niece was getting into trouble.

People do drown even with lifeguards present. I took a lifeguard course some years go and it made me feel like I need to be more vigilant but also gave me more confidence in knowing what to look for and how to handle an emergency.