TWINSBURG (August 13, 2015) – Safety has always been a top priority for Twinsburg’s aquatics department and the staff had the opportunity to display their skills on multiple occasions over the past month. The aquatics staff was challenged through the State Lifeguard Competition and an unannounced audit by the American Red Cross.
For the third year in a row, Twinsburg’s lifeguards took first place in the Northern Ohio Regional Lifeguard Competition. Their first place finish qualified them to compete at the State Lifeguard Competition in Kettering near Cincinnati. The competition team consisted of Mackenzie Harrison, Tyler Kinser, Jacob Lowe, Greg Strong, and Josh Vargo. Each team was tested on emergency scenarios including passive victim, spinal injury management, sudden illness, active victims, and multi-rescuer response to cardiac events. Teams received grades on how well they performed. Overall, Twinsburg’s team placed in the top ten for the third year in a row by finishing ninth. They edged their fellow Northeast Ohio competitors from Willoughby who finished eleventh.
During the same time period, the staff was paid an unexpected visit by the American Red Cross which included a review of the facility. The audit reviewed the lifeguard staff, training, and record keeping based on skills tests and visual observations. The facility passed all industry standards and the lifeguard staff performed to their highest potential when thirteen guards from the indoor and outdoor pool were pulled out of rotation to run through emergency simulations.
“I am so proud of our staff, they work very hard to ensure that they are prepared for any situation,” expressed Branden Burns, Aquatics Coordinator. “Our lifeguards put in hours of practice and training every month. I am glad to see that their efforts paid off.”
The American Red Cross was particularly impressed with the lifeguards’ scanning, patron surveillance, in service programs, and ability to provide an initial breath to passive non-breathing victims within a minute and thirty seconds. Additionally, the facility received commendations on their documentation of training, certifications, and safety signage throughout the indoor and outdoor facilities. The department plans to continue to set high standards and strive for improvement on a yearly basis.