Defecation!

You have absolutely no argument when you mention things that happened last year. This is 2006 not 2005- and many things have been changed and I can assure you this year there are definately no children wearing regular diapers since they disintegrate completely in chlorine. And also the problem as Staci mentioned is that it isn't small children doing this, it's older children who are potty-trained but just do not feel like getting out of the pool to use the bathroom.

 

I don't really think it's fair to get into whose summer job was harder than whose. Yes, you may have been a lifeguard when you were a teenager but I was too and I"m sure that times have definitely changed. In this sue-happy country we live in, lifeguards have to be especially careful and watchful and must keep their training up-to-date to avoid personal and company liability. And that is just one thing that has changed.

Also, I wonder how you all would have liked it when you were teenagers to have a public online forum where people could criticize your job performance for all to see. Actually, imagine having that with your current job! The HOA members go through it too. Also, imagine your own children being criticized in a public forum for trying to do their jobs.

I can understand your frustration, and sometimes it is difficult to understand what is going on but I think we all just need to relax and stop minimizing these young peoples' jobs. They may be young but these lifeguards are working for a living too and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate being told their jobs are too easy.

Without them, us Broadlands residents would not have a place to swim at all.

 

Please elaborate on what is different this year than last year. As far as I know, the rules concerning swim diapers and street clothes were the same last year as this year and the pool management company is the same.

The reason I haven't been to the pools this summer is because I have a kindergartener with very basic swimming skills (she dog-paddles) and an infant and it is impossible for me to watch both children at the same time. I'm not one of those parents who would just throw the older child into the pool and expect the lifeguards to watch her. It's a basic SAFETY issue and that is why my older daughter only goes to the pools on the weekends when her father takes her and I spend one on one time with my other child. I would love to visit the pools but logistically unless I hire a babysitter, it's not going to happen this year.

I did attempt to set up swimming lessons for her last summer but I was told by the guards at the pool that my daughter could not take group lessons and had to take private lessons. After setting the lessons up, the guard never showed at the agreed upon time. I was less than impressed with the lack of professionalism shown in that respect as well as other problems that are being described *this* year as well. The talking on the cellphones constantly, not manning the front gate at Summerbrooke, flirting with co-workers, etc. took place the same last summer as it is being reported upon this summer...

(Oh, and perhaps regular diapers disintegrate if you leave them lying about in chlorine but the regular diapers I've seen in pools, fountains, etc. just swell up with water and get really really big.)

 

If you're doing your job properly, then there's nothing to criticize, is there?

 

I just don't see how a non-lifeguard could accurately criticize everything going on. From a lot of the posts on this forum it seems as if people don't really understand everything that is involved, and to be honest I don't either, but maybe if you have a question about the operation of the pool (whether something is allowed or not, for instance) people could ask the lifeguards instead of posting in a forum, which is not going to improve anything.

 

Well, that's how the thread started. What can we do to minimize pool closures due to fecal accidents? In fact, I re-read the whole thread and I have to say than any criticism made about the guards was NOT about
them really being able to do anything about this problem (other than keep an eye out for the right diapers). Later, it was pointed out that the accidents were probably not from diaper-age kids, but older ones. I'm not sure anyone can do a thing about that. It seems that the only criticism about the guards was general, and based on direct experience. It wasn't personal and it shouldn't be taken as such. Obviously, guards are reading the posts as are their parents and if they're confident that they or their kids aren't engaging in any of the aforementioned objectionable activity, they should just take it with a grain of salt. Part of being mature and being in the workforce is learning pretty quickly that you're never going to please everyone but if you do the best you can every day, that's all you can do.

Now---back to the topic. Constructive solutions: Is it too late to put a reminder in the August newsletter? What about giving out half page flyer notes for a week on fluorescent paper that tells everyone about the frequency of recent closures, what caused them, and what they can do to prevent it? That can't cost a ton of money and it gets a reminder in there that's more effective than the posters that no one sees after awhile.

Guards and guard-parents who are reading this....any ideas? It seems you might be in the best position to offer some guidance.

 

Of course the argument is still legit. I too have seen tots wearing regular diapers in the pools THIS year, so your "assurance" is wrong.
As for the "size of the poop" , who is to say whos butt it came out of? We have a 3 yr old (potty trained for over a year!) who can make some rather large doodies.
It may be older kids (no proof, just speculation) but I would have to go with the odds and say it is the non-potty trained children.

 

Well two of the defecations were in the deep end which I'm very sure that, unless children who are not potty-trained snuck into the deep end under the eyes of the lifeguards (which is HIGHLY unlikely), I think an older kid probably did it.

 

Hey, Afba. I ran Wild Animal Safari at PKD and Hurricane Reef (10 yrs ago) since it was adjacent. Certs for life guards are not new. It;s a tough job, but running a rollercoaster is harder. You got a capacity per hour to keep up and herding some of the clueless into a car and checking their lapbars takes hustle. The guards at PKD had it better with rotations b/c of laws governing life guards.

I've been to summerbrooke recently. It seems there is a 2:2 rotation. 2 on duty and 2 on front. The the 2 in front are usually hanging out, which is fine, everyone needs a break. But at least once an hour they could do a visual spot check for regular diapers, its obvious when a kid isnt wearing swimmies.

 

we spent the afternoon at the Southern Walk pool and I have to say how impressed I was with the lifeguards on duty. attentive, friendly, cleaning the walking areas, directing and correcting kids not obeying the rules, and 100% on the job. can't be easy- it was really hot today. i'm just glad to see kids working and earning their money instead of mom and/or dad paying their way thru the summer.

they couldn't have done ANYTHING to prevent a defecation incident... as the saying goes....

[Edited by moderator - please do not ignore our rules] Happens. lol I can't believe no one else has said it yet!!!!

Keep up the good work lifeguards- and parents- let's keep the kidsw away from Mexican food the night before going to the pool! :*O

 

One thing that may decrease the number of closures for defecation and vomit would be to change the hourly break from 10 minutes to 15 minutes. When I grew up, the breaks at the pools were 15 minutes long. I just think that it may give kids more time to rest after eating (less vomit) and would give parents more time to encourage their children to go to the bathroom (less #2) as many times the bathrooms get very crowded during the 10 minute breaks. Just a thought for next year. It's a simple solution that wouldn't bar one age group from using certain pools (not fair to paying homeowners) and would prevent lifeguards from having to check every young child for swim diapers under their swimming clothes (parents would get upset).

 

we tried to go to the summerbrooke pool last night around 4-5 and it was closed... is that normal or did another accident happen? We went over to the big pool in SW and there were signs all over about making sure your kid doesn't have an accident

 

There was another defication at summerbrooke pool yesterday about 4:20. So no the pool being closed at that time is not normal they are normally open until 8pm just like Southernwalk

Staci

 

All this talk makes me glad I don't use the public pools -- I'd much rather drive an hour to a family's pool defication free

 

I thought the closing yesterday was for vomit; that's what my family said when they came home.

 

Southernwalk closed due to vomit around 7pm
Summerbrook closed due to defication around 4pm

On a side note Summerbrooke is closed today 7/24 until 2 pm for feces found in the pool this morning not sure if someone put it in over night or if it was somhow missed when cleaning yesteday

 

This has gone way past the point of ridiculousness.

 

I agree this is getting a bit ridiculous, but all of the defecations have been kids coming up and telling the lifeguards basically saying "I did it" or "I see some in the pool" so they have all been legit. I don't think any of them have been because of someone purposely putting stuff into the pool.

 

After reading this thread and the thread pertaining to Summerbrooke there's no doubt this is a continuing problem. Maybe some of the increase in incidents is due to the additional volume of traffic/residents who are now living in Broadlands. Much as I hate to say it, perhaps more and even stricter enforcements when such events happen will help to isolate such incidents.

I think the suggestion for a longer break period is a good suggestion. Perhaps in addition to longer break periods, breaks should be more frequent? I've not been to the pools myself but when there is a break, could a guard make an announcement reminding swimmers this is the time for potty breaks?

Stricter guidelines on unaccompanied children to the pool perhaps? I don't know at what age children are being allowed into the pools without a parent. Perhaps not allowing children to the pools unaccompanied unless they are minimum of 15 years of age?

Naturally if one knew who caused an incident, that individual could be banned from the pool for a specified period of time as well as being charged a fine for the expense due to shut down and cleaning?

And, all parents should also be more pro-active educating their children on the effects to people when such incidents occur. Maybe a poster or two around the pools illustrating if an incident occurs the pool is shut down?