Lifeguards from 15 YMCA pools across Oklahoma came together in Bethany for the YMCA’s annual Lifeguard Games, where they participated in training and timed rescue competitions to test their skills.
Water Safety Emphasis
The event highlighted the importance of water safety during the busy summer season at Oklahoma pools. Bryan Wilcox, YMCA association aquatics team lead, emphasized that water safety is critical and encouraged people to visit swimming pools with certified and trained lifeguards.
The games featured four events: spinal backboard rescues, passive victim rescues, active rescues with first aid, and conditioning relays. Some races were judged strictly by speed, while others rewarded lifeguards for following every rescue step correctly.
Wilcox also advised families to take steps to prevent drownings, such as constant supervision, avoiding distractions, and ensuring children never swim alone. He suggested designating a water watcher to always pay attention to kids and promoted the ‘phones down, eyes up’ campaign.
For those heading to lakes this summer, Wilcox recommended having life jackets readily available and wearing them whenever possible, especially in open water where visibility is limited.
Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
