September 5, 2025: Newsletter moving to Wednesdays
Welcome to September.
A quick programming note: this newsletter is permanently moving to Wednesdays after today. If anything big pops up, I'll do a short update next week (September 10). Otherwise you can expect newsletters to resume regular programming on Wednesday, September 17.
The delivery time is still open-ended (we have readers across all time zones), but I hate to have a good thing stand between you & your weekend. One of the other reasons for the switch? Unless you are Emilie Kiser's PR team (see below) most aquatic industry news comes out over the weekend (filler during a slow news week) or Monday - Wednesday (when it's a lead story).
Last Thursday night, before the Labour Day long weekend (i.e. the PR equivalent of simultaneously releasing and burying a story), Emilie Kiser made her first public statement since her son's fatal drowning in May:
"I take full accountability as Trigg's mother, and I know I should have done more to protect him. One of the hardest lessons I carry is that a permanent pool fence could have saved his life, and it's something I will never overlook again. I hope amidst this pain, Trigg's story will help prevent other children & families from suffering the same loss."
The entire statement is worth a read. I'm not going to join the online mobs analysing the meaning of every word; it's grotesquely opportunistic; the family is traumatized; a real child died; and I am 100% certain an excellent PR team was involved. However, I also don't think we can understate the continuing significance of this news story in 2025 water safety culture conversations.
Full-Face Snorkelling Masks Carry a Risk of Hypercapnia and Drowning in Younger Children: A Case Series
I had someone comment on Facebook that these are "not really used," and I cannot disagree enough. From beaches in the Caribbean to plain old pools in Alberta, I still see these EVERYWHERE and nobody is talking about how unsafe they are. ICYMI, I interviewed the Hawai'i Snorkel Safety Study people a few years ago.
Lifestyle Impact: For the Love of the Job
This is a truly phenomenal article. It's framed around summer camps, but applies equally to aquatics. The industry splits in terms of gender roles, organizational structure, financial models, etc. really do correlate.
Rising costs blamed for drop in pool temperatures
The Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG) came out swinging in their newsletter last week, saying it's improper for pool operators to ever lower temps to save money since it negatively impacts bathers. This amidst dozens of facilities closing permanently in the UK due to complete financial insolvency (500 pools have been lost since 2010).
The degree to which some trade groups are blind to the economic & political reality people are facing in 2025 is exactly why I work hard every single day to be a different kind of advisor & consultant. Thank you for supporting us!
Teamwork in Action: Lifeguards and EMTs Practice Patient Care Transfers
More organizations need to build collaboration like this.
New law would ban pools at residential day cares after toddler's death in the Bronx
Kennywood cancels 21-plus nights due to fights, reiterates "Zero-Tolerance" policy
The downside to adults-only events. Would having more security staff on site and/or more restrictions on alcohol sales prevented this incident?
AITAH for not allowing my son to visit in laws house due to them not having a pool fence?
Princess Charlene of Monaco Recalls the Family Tragedy That Led Her to Advocate For Water Safety
Martha Stewart Reveals Her 'Biggest Building Project of the Year' After Tearing Down Historic Mansion
This is going to be a spectacular pool.
Alberta oil and gas company charged in 2023 drowning death of contractor in fracking pond
We do not talk enough about drowning in the workplace. If you don't follow our Facebook page, this vehicle sinking video from last week is also a huge visual reminder of work around water.
Young chatty workers disturbing older colleagues ‘not age harassment’, tribunal rules
As we continue to manage up to five or six different generations and work styles in the workplace, it's no longer just about accommodating preferences, but also understanding worker rights. ICYMI, we have a video from Dr. Katie Cleasby talking about this back in 2021.
How racism kept Americans out of pools
The Smoking Hot Return of Bathing Culture
"Sweat bathing" is not a term you can unhear.
Proposed location announced for Origin Park’s whitewater attraction
They will be building the attraction on a landfill.
The King of Sunnyside: How one regular keeps the pool party going
If you've ever swum at this iconic, outdoor pool in the Beaches area of Toronto, it's pretty special. Quote of the year to the lifeguard who said: "A certain amount of chaos is expected at an outdoor pool."
5-year-old triplet welcomed home nearly year after almost drowning in family pool
This is the realistic outcome to drowning we don't discuss enough. Patients suffer anoxic brain injuries that can be nearly impossible to overcome. I shared on Instagram Stories this reel from a mom documenting how her son now has to be fed via feeding tube since his drowning.
Social media critical as northern Australia works to curb concerning high drowning rates
"A review of water safety has found women may be more likely than men to post photos of themselves behaving dangerously around waterfalls."
The Look Book Goes to Senior Splash
Very cool to see average-sized, older women in bathing suits normalized as fashion content.
Ever wonder how water at the hot springs in Glenwood Springs is filtered?
This is an usually thorough feature. Colorado allows flow through hot springs, unlike Canada.
Diving into inclusion: Nigerian coach teaches swimming to children with disabilities
Baywatch in the Laboratory—Differences in Visual Surveillance Between Lifeguards and Non-Lifeguards
I just learned this week that Splashpad is a registered trade name. Vortex Aquatic Structures claims to have "spearheaded the now-famous Splash Pad over three decades ago, and the capitalized "Splashpad®" indicates it is a registered trademark. Their Splashpad® is described as a zero-depth aquatic play area with interactive features designed for a wide range of ages and abilities."
We'll see you back in 10 days on Wednesday, September 17, unless something big happens next week.
Katie Crysdale
Lakeview Aquatic Consultants Ltd.