What's Up With the Safety Break?
What's Up With the Safety Break?
What's Up With the Safety Break?
At the top of every hour during Family Swim, we call a Safety Break to clear our recreation pools. But whose ‘safety’ is it for? Actually – everyone! So we first want to clear the pool, especially on really busy days, to ensure everyone is able to exit the pool and there are not any safety hazards that have developed in the water or on the equipment or facility. When the pools are packed, it could be hard to see under and around everything that may be blocked by patrons. This gives the guards a chance to see it all and do a quick check without any obstruction. This also gives our guards a chance to ensure every swimmer under 13 has a parent and/or guardian with them at the pool. When we have a little swimmer with no one to return to for safety break, we know we have a problem!
We also clear it for the safety of our swimmers. They need a break! Even the strongest swimmer may become dehydrated, exhausted and/or sunburned. This gives everyone a chance to reapply the sunscreen, get some fluids and take a rest in the shade. Dehydration, exhaustion and sunburn can all affect one’s ability to stay afloat or know when to call it quits in the pool. It is also for our younger swimmers who may need an escort or a reminder to take a trip to the bathroom. We love having our littlest swimmers at the pool, but swim diapers need a check to keep our pools clean and safe to swim in. Safety break is a great time to do this and take our toddlers to the potty! Clear, clean pools keep all our swimmers happy and healthy!
Lastly, it also gives our guards a little rest as well. If anyone needs a bathroom break, a sunscreen spray or to refill their water bottles – this is a time when another guard can cover their zone while they get it done! Then they can return to their post refreshed and ready to watch the action start back up at the pool.
So even though having to drag a screaming toddler away from the slide or the basketball hoop at the top of every hour may seem like torture every now and then, the safety break is really for all of us. Insider tip – we recommend bribing that toddler with ice cream from the Cabana!