June 13, 2025: Intent Doesn't Negate Impact
Good Afternoon,
Happy Friday if this is your weekend, and thanks to those of you who have to work over the weekend. Today I want to share two things I saw this week: one I love, and one I hate. In both situations I want to highlight that intent doesn't negate impact.
The first thing I love. This was from a few months ago, but I was sorting files this week. Does anyone else ever end up with 100 miscellaneous documents saved to their computer desktop or is that just me? đ It's chaos until I take an hour to move everything to where it should actually go in our archives.
In terms of intent vs. impact: the intent is to make lifeguards seem more approachable, and educate the community about the role lifeguards have in water safety & drowning prevention. Sadly, there have been an increasing number of lifeguard assaults, so I think humanizing lifeguards as real people from your community on the pool deck is an important thing. Will it prevent possible abuse or harassing behavior? Not necessarily; the intent doesn't necessarily improve or negate the impact, but it's worth a try.
One thing I hated this week. This is an actual lifeguard job description in Alberta in 2025. I've cropped the rest of the advertisement to anonymize offenders.
In 2003, lifeguarding at the lake in Ontario, we suntanned with abandon and little concern for skin cancer or sun safety. In 2025, for an employer to advertise this as a benefit is unbelievably irresponsible. The intent of this messaging (to make job sound fun & appealing) doesn't negate the impact of suggesting there is no need to worry about sun exposure 8-hours per day, 5 days per week.
Here's the latest aquatic industry news that crossed my desk this week.
LEGACY ENTERTAINMENT TO CREATE LOCO WATERPARK AT PERFECT DAY MEXICO
I need to dig more into this media release as Martin Aquatic Design & Engineering has historically been Royal Caribbean's design partner for land & sea-based aquatic facilities.
Mitigating Risks Through Waterslide Inspections
I try not to reshare too many articles from behind paywalls, but this was an excellent piece from a recent World Waterpark Association (WWA) member magazine. Many aquatic facilities are not doing enough to inspect or maintain these extremely high-risk amenities.
Portland to pay $1.66 million to family of Afghan refugee girl who drowned at city pool
This article does not provide a lot of details, but other online reports indicate this was a lifeguarded city pool with two staff on shift (not sure how many were on deck) during the incident.
Lifeguard numbers âreally highâ in N.S. and N.B. this summer: Lifesaving Society
Watermellow
I'm not in any way affiliated with this program, but in searching for reputable online resources for a pregnant friend who wants to get her baby into swim lessons ASAP, the algorithm fed me this bath tub program from the Canadian company behind K&K Swim School.
Birch Bay Waterslides cleared to open; two rides not yet approved for use
Possible pay wall if you click the link more than once. Last year, I reported on serious injuries that previously occurred here.
Water park regulations 'would save children's lives'
Currently there are no specific laws in England for aqua parks. The same may be the case for inflatable obstacle courses hosted on lakes and other bodies of water in many North American jurisdictions.
Taking a deep dive into Acadia University's decision to close its pool
"We could find $5 million under the mattress and we're still going to close the pool because we wouldn't spend that money fixing it and we have better options for the space."đŹ
Swim Nova Scotia offers to fund Acadia pool assessment with closure looming
I'm not sure another assessment is actually what's needed; the facility (just) needs critical reinvestment in the existing, aged infrastructure that is currently beyond the financial resources of any local partner.
Rockingham Swimming Club launches âFrom Pool to Oceanâ program for local youth
I love that this program highlights emotional barriers to learning how to swim. Not enough aquatic facilities or swim instructors consider that impact and how it hinders individual success.
How Swim [Team] Parents Feel
A bit of humour.
Hong Kong private estate pool told to close over suspect lifeguard credentials
I don't think I've ever reshared one of these articles, but this issue comes up fairly frequently in news alerts. I've heard reports from the USA about falsified lifeguard credentials, but - thankfully - never encountered it during my career in Canada since the Lifesaving Society has their Find a Member tool to verify NL awards.
2025 Pool Lifeguards
Cute idea to showcase the role of lifeguards in your community. You could do this on social media or your organization's website, if not in local media. It also reminded me of this get-to-know-our-staff reel I saw on Instagram.
Boy Scout building warning kiosks at beach where boy drowned in Conneaut
Pool fence installers slammed as Quebec safety deadline approaches
With all due respect, I'm unclear why so many are resisting complying with a very basic safety precaution already required in many jurisdictions? The implementation of this law has already been postponed since 2022 (below). Did homeowners really believe there would be a second reprieve? Owning a pool is a choice. Quebec postpones rule requiring fencing around all residential swimming pools
Work on an in-ground swimming pool in Sainte-ThérÚse: One dead and a woman hospitalized
DIY ends in disaster?
Woman takes legal action after spa chlorine exposure
Do you know the Free Available Chlorine (FAC) residual limit in your jurisdiction? If not, you should! For example, Alberta does not have an upper legal FAC limit, but a standard of care within the aquatic industry could still apply in a lawsuit where someone was injured through operator gross negligence.
Jo-ann Morris and Michael Morris awarded Medal of the Order of Australia
"The award recognises nearly two decades of tireless advocacy following the non-fatal drowning of their much-loved son Samuel in 2006, and his passing in 2014 due to ongoing complications from his non-fatal drowning injuries." A great page to follow online.
Hawaii Family Sues USA Swimming, Local Pool, and Swim Club Over Daughterâs Drowning
This is an older article I didn't mention at the time of publication. Lifeguarding warmup at competitive swim meets is one of the things I always look back and thank God that nothing ever happened because it's hundreds of people in the water and it's nearly impossible to effectively scan. It's also an area to consider for better risk management procedures.
A great conversation starter for your next aquatic staff inservice (2 mins).
I'm not normally one to hassle clients & colleagues to leave Google Reviews. However! Recently I was told we don't have a "meaningful number of reviews," suggesting the 5* ones we do have mean nothing?! So, if you have ever done business with us at any point during the last eight years, particularly if I've ever sent you resources or advice for free, I would appreciate a quick review.
See you next week!
Katie Crysdale
Lakeview Aquatic Consultants Ltd.