Lifeguard Games Enhances Guards Ability to Respond to Emergencies

Make A Splash Mid-South will host Lifeguard Games Sunday, July 19 at 6 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center (6560 Poplar Ave.) pool. The event is designed to provide community lifeguards with additional training in responding to real aquatic and medical emergencies. The event is part of an on-going effort by the Make a Splash Mid-South coalition to ensure that children are safe in and around water.

About 10 teams of four guards each are expected to participate in the event which will feature three scenarios. Teams will earn points for completing a relay which involves swimming 25 yards carrying an unresponsive victim, recovering a 10 pound diving brick, performing CPR and accurately tossing a ring buoy. Slots are still available for additional teams. Competitors must be American Red Cross, YMCA or BSA certified lifeguards. For more information contact event organizer Danny Fadgen at 761-0810.

“Lifeguards benefit from the opportunity to train and compete as a team, and the public benefits from well-trained, skilled and motivated guards. Lifeguard Games is great opportunity for guards to learn additional skills in a fun environment,” said Fadgen.

Make a Splash Mid-South was formed by Safe Kids Mid-South, led by Le Bonheur Children’s, in June 2008 following the deaths of two teens in swimming pools. The group is comprised of concerned community organizations with special interest in swimming, children’s health and safety issues. Active members include individuals representing City of Bartlett Aquatics, City of Memphis Parks Service Aquatics, Le Bonheur Children’s, Memphis Jewish Community Center Aquatics, Memphis Tiger Swimming, Mid-South Chapter of American Red Cross, Safe Kids Mid-South, Swim and Tri, Tunica County Recreation Commission Aquatics, University of Memphis, YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South and the Pool School.

In March, Make a Splash Mid-South along with Memphis Tiger Swimming hosted a diversity swimming meet and developmental clinic at the University of Memphis. Also, Make a Splash Mid-South is partnering with the City of Memphis to provide a limited number of free swimming lessons. Applications are currently being accepted for lessons in August and September at the Hickory Hill and Bickford aquatics centers. Applications are available by contacting David Han at (901) 566-9685.

Make a Splash Mid-South took into account the recent findings from a University of Memphis research study commissioned by USA Swimming about minority swimming participation in developing their plans. In this first study of minority children and swimming, the researchers found that almost 60 percent of African American and Hispanic/Latino children don’t know how to swim and are three times more likely to drown than white children.

Posted: July 7, 2009 For more information please contact: Jennifer Parris , 901.287.6030