Over the last few weeks, there have been reported incidents at swimming pools that required life-saving measures from life-guards.

With that in mind, Jefferson Parks and Recreation staff member Simeon Lang talks about pool safety and what they have in place for rules to help keep everyone safe this summer at the Jefferson Municipal Pool.

Some of the basic rules are raising off your body in the locker rooms before and after being in the pool to help keep possible contaminants from entering the pool. To prevent injuries, Lang says everyone should walk around the pool and they don’t tolerate any horseplay or rough play in the pool, which includes excessive splashing or dunking of people.

As for anyone who wants to swim in the deep-end of the pool, Lang describes the procedure that you have to go through before you are allowed to be in the deep-end.

“We do have a deep water swim test. So youth or swimmers need to pass that before entering the ten-foot or the deep-end of the pool, that is two trips down and back of the pool. So it would be 100-yards of swimming just kind of prove their competency and strength in the water.”

He adds that there are 15 life-guards on a rotation basis with at least three life-guards on duty at all times. Plus, there is a ten minute mandatory break every hour.

Each lifeguard is Red Cross Training certified in lifesaving tactics and strategies to help keep people safe.