Having fun safely
CRANBERRY TWP — The Cranberry Township Waterpark is taking a more direct approach in reminding parents about water safety.
“We want them to be more engaged with their kids when they're here,” said Dave Hutner, recreation program manager for the township Parks and Recreation department.
The waterpark is ramping up its water safety awareness campaign with new informational signs and other small changes meant to remind parents that they are the first line of defense against drownings.
Among the new initiatives, the “adult swim” break is being renamed “safety break.” The pool formerly known as the zero-depth entry or baby pool is now the wading pool to distinguish it from the deeper adjacent pool.
There have been 64 water rescues in the waterpark during the first half of the summer season, more than in past years, said Toni Augustine, swim lesson coordinator and head lifeguard at the waterpark.
A water rescue happens anytime a lifeguard leaves his post to intervene in the water. They're not always at the life-threatening level. In fact, Hutner said, they usually hope to get involved before it becomes that serious.
“We operate on a creed that says 'if you don't know, go,'” he said.
A person who is drowning or in distress may not be calling for help, like is often seen in movies and on TV. Instead lifeguards look for more subtle signs that a swimmer is in trouble like distressed swimming or bulging eyes.
“You can tell they're not comfortable with where they are,” Augustine said. “You won't have them calling for help. They're more focused on trying to keep themselves above the water.”It's not always weak swimmers who need to be rescued. Some rescues are done on perfectly good swimmers, Hutner said, but even strong swimmers get tired.That's one of the reasons they have safety breaks 15 minutes every hour. Swimming is a full-body exercise, Augustine said, and children can tire out quickly.“When you're exercising for 45 minutes straight, you need a break,” Hutner said. “Unfortunately when it's hot out, we don't always realize we need the break because we're having fun, it's cooler in the water. But really it's a safety break … We want them to stop, slow down a little bit and catch their breath.”The waterpark sees between 60,000 and 80,000 visitors each season. With that many people coming through the door, Hutner said they need parents to do their part in watching their children and being with them in the water.A facility with lifeguards can make some parents let their guard down, but Hutner asks that they remain vigilant. The lifeguards are there to supplement the parents, not replace them as a preventive measure for keeping children safe, Hutner said.Augustine said parents should always be with their children in the water to help them if they need to get to a wall or get to shallower waters. This even goes for children in the shallower wading pool or if the child is wearing a flotation device.“Having a parent there with them in the water is the best thing to have,” Augustine said.
