"Our Lifeguards – Your Safety" A letter from our Executive Director

May 2016

To: YMCA Patrons

From: Nick Zimmer, YMCA Executive Director

Re: Our Lifeguards – Your Safety

On behalf of Montgomery County Family YMCA, we greatly appreciate you being a member or a guest at our facility.

In regards to your use of the facility, the YMCA staff prides itself on being safety first in all areas at all times of the facility. This is especially true of the Wilson Aquatics Center.

Our on-duty lifeguard’s primary responsibility is the safety of all patrons that are using either our pool or hot tub. The lifeguards need to have their full attention on the pool & hot tub when patrons are present.

With that in mind, we are seeking your assistance in regards to the lifeguards. We ask all pool patrons to limit their conversations with the lifeguards to a brief greeting or if needing a quick answer to a question. The lifeguards cannot give the full attention needed to all pool patrons if they are caught up in a detailed conversation. We also ask that if you need equipment for your swim or workout plan, that you retrieve it and replace it when finished. This may seem like a small task, but studies show that a drowning can take place in less than four seconds. Our guards need to be solely focused on their task of watching the pool.

We are continually working with the lifeguarding staff to make sure that your safety is our number one priority through monthly in-service meetings and ongoing training.

By working together, we are giving ourselves the opportunity to have the safest pool facility in our region.