Safety boost for pools
PUBLIC pools across the Cassowary Coast have been given a raft of safety upgrades ahead of the spring and summer seasons.
Council has implemented major changes – including a greater presence of lifeguards, new entry policies to reduce the risk of unsupervised children, on-site defibrillators and oxygen resuscitators.
Changes to entry policies include restricting the admission of children under the age of 10 without a parent or guardian and groups of more than four children under the age of 10 for each parent or guardian.
The changes are part of the Royal Life Saving Society Queensland’s new Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations Standards.
Division 1 Councillor Glenn Raleigh said pools would at least have one full-time lifeguard.
“(Staffing will) depend on the managers of the pool operations,” he said.
He has also said the new safety measures have increased the cost of operating the pools significantly.
“To minimise the impact on ratepayers and pool managers, managers may decide to limit the number of staff during times of low patronage,” he said.
“This may mean that some facilities within a pool will be temporarily closed at set times.”
However, in the eyes of Council, the safety benefits outweigh those costs.
“We’ve budgeted for that in the 2019-20 budget,” Mr Raleigh said.
“The safety of the public is paramount in Council’s mind.”
Mr Raleigh also said the changes were in response to the deaths of two tourists at an Airlie Beach lagoon.
Innisfail Memorial Baths manager Ian Arthur has welcomed the new changes.
“It’s going to make for a much safer environment and peace of mind for people to have a lifeguard on duty at all times,” Mr Arthur said.
“It’s a safer complex and better for the town.”
He has asked parents to be more vigilant in supervising their children at public pools.
“Children who cannot swim must be within arm’s reach of an adult carer and children swimming in the pools must be under supervision at all times.
“The lifeguards are not babysitters.”
Mr Arthur said he had heard of a facility in another region having to close because of the impending changes and the need for trained lifeguards.
“Our entry fees are not changing and we will continue to offer our learn to swim, water aerobics and parent and baby classes,” he said.
“It’s a great place for a fun day out.”