Wednesday, July 3, 2019

For Immediate Release

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-742-3922
Email: ben@jgpr.net

Rockland Lifeguards Undergo Lifesaving Training with Rockland Fire Department

ROCKLAND — Rockland Youth Commission (RYC) Director Jeanne Blaney and Chief Scott Duffey are pleased to announce that the Hartsuff Park Pond lifeguards underwent training with the assistance of the Rockland Fire Department earlier this week.

On Monday, July 1, four lifeguards that work at Hartsuff Park Pond participated in several simulated rescue scenarios, including a drowning scenario, a simulation of someone with a spinal injury in the water and situations dealing with conscious and unconscious victims. RYC staff members also participated in the training.

Hartsuff Park Pond is open to the public for swimming throughout the summer and is used by the Rockland Youth Commission’s Summer Program. The Summer Program sees over 100 kids swim in the pond each week. The pond is open for swimming seven days a week, weather pending, and has lifeguards on duty from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“With so many kids swimming and playing around the pond throughout the summer, this type of training is vitally important to our lifeguards,” Director Blaney said. “We want to make sure that all of our lifeguards stay sharp on their lifesaving skills in the event of a rescue. I would like to thank Chief Duffey and the Rockland Fire Department for assisting us with the training this week. Their input is extremely important and I think our lifeguards learned a lot.”

Members of the Rockland Fire Department provided feedback about what things the lifeguards did well and gave them recommendations about what techniques and practices they could work on.

“This training is something that our department assists with each year and the lifeguards that work at the pond are always very eager to participate and learn,” Chief Duffey said. “In addition to getting feedback, it is also important for the lifeguards to know and understand our procedures and protocols in the event of a water emergency, and vice versa.”

During the exercises, one of the lifeguards would simulate being a victim in the water in need of rescue. The lifeguards on shore each took turns rescuing the individual, pulling them to shore and then practicing CPR on a dummy provided by the fire department. The lifeguards and/or RYC staff would simulate calling 911 and working with fire department personnel to provide them vital information about the incident while the victim was transported to an ambulance.

The lifeguards undergo similar training exercises on their own throughout the summer and will be training again on Wednesday.

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