lifeguard news

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Carmen Jean-Baptiste, former lifeguard awarded $3.5 million

August 10, 2012 - 05:42 pm

Video link: http://bcove.me/brglte2e

Carmen Jean-Baptiste is relieved the six year battle is over. Today, a federal jury awarded her $3.5 million in a sexual harassment lawsuit .

Jean-Baptiste was a life guard at the Takoma aquatic center in the summer of 2006 when she said her boss, Ronald Weaver, repeatedly harassed her, asked her out on dates, leered at her in her bathing suit and made vulgar comments.

When her protests were ignored, she filed a written complaint. A few days later, she was terminated.
The jury not only awarded the 43-year-old District resident the hefty damages, it also hand-wrote a list of recommendations to judge Royce Lamberth, asking the District to review and clarify its sexual harassment policies and investigate all employees' actions at the Takoma pool that year.
“He added it's the first time in 24 years on the bench he's ever had that kind of request,” says attorney Timothy Fleming.
No criminal charges were filed against weaver and he is still working at a D.C. pool.
A D.C. Parks and Recreation spokesman told ABC7 news Friday it is working with the office of the attorney general to review the verdict and get guidance on next steps.

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Father devastated by daughter’s death after pool tragedy in RAK holiday horror

7DAYS May 19, 2014

source:

Leila Baker tragically died last month after spending 23 days on a ventilator following an incident at a RAK hotel

A father has told how his family is struggling to come to terms with the death of his five-year-old daughter.
Leila Baker died last month after spending 23 days on a ventilator at Saqr Hospital in RAK. She was rushed to hospital after being found submerged in a hotel pool.
Her father, Mohammed Baker, who lives in Dubai, is currently waiting for the outcome of a public prosecution investigation into the tragedy, which happened during a three-day, family break in Ras Al Khaimah. He said Leila, his eldest daughter, suffered severe brain damage as a result of the incident on April 2 at the Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa.
“My daughter drowned on the second day of our stay. I had taken a week off work so I could spend quality time with my daughter, who was on school holiday,” he said.
Baker said the accident occurred about noon, when he and his wife had returned to their room to change.
“My daughter had earlier played near the children’s swimming pool with a girl from a neighbouring villa. When we returned to the room, she told her mother that she was going back to play with the girl,” said Baker. About 10 minutes later, Leila’s mother went outside, but could not see the girls.
“My wife started searching for her everywhere. She went to the swimming pool and asked the lifeguard if he had seen Leila,” he said. Baker added the lifeguard spotted Leila in the pool and dived in and pulled her out.
The guard then performed CPR with the help of a British guest who was a doctor. Baker said he believes Leila was in the pool for up to 20 minutes. She was taken to hospital, where doctors told the father that Leila was brain dead. She was pronounced dead just over three weeks later.

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Baker said his family was devastated, adding: “My wife suffered from psychological shock after she learned about the death of her child. She is still struggling to come to terms with it.”
Prosecutors are investigating the matter and said they had questioned two hotel employees, including a lifeguard. A spokesperson for the hotel said: “The wellbeing, safety and security of our guests are of paramount importance to us and we will, of course, continue to cooperate with local authorities as they investigate the matter.”
ismail@7days.ae

Drowning victim's father urges ban on pool parties

Police say boy's death was an accident and there are no suspects

source:

By Dina Aboul Hosn, Staff Reporter
Published: 00:00 November 29, 2011

Image Credit: Supplied
A grief-stricken father who lost his son in a swimming pool incident has called for a ban on pool parties for young children. Picture for illustrative purposes only

Dubai: A grief-stricken father who lost his son in a swimming pool incident has called for a ban on pool parties for young children.

Ahmad Ali, father of eight-year-old Ali Mazahir who drowned on Thursday, said he was still not completely informed about the circumstances surrounding his son's death in a swimming pool in a Dubai Marina building during a classmate's birthday party.

"My son was invited to a pool party, and I was reluctant to let him go, but the invitation clearly said that a lifeguard would be present," Ahmad, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, told Gulf News. On Thursday afternoon, Ahmad met Ali at Gems Wellington School, where the child was a grade three student, to pick him up from his school.

"I took the bag and said goodbye just before 1pm. That was the last time I saw my son alive," he said.

Receives call

Around 2.30pm, the family received a call from the parents hosting the party, saying that their son had an incident and was on his way to Al Wasl Hospital.

"I called the mother, who was accompanying my son. She said the doctors refused to tell her anything and were asking for the child's parents, and I realised that my son was no longer with us," Ahmad said.

Doctors tried to revive him for 45 minutes, but he was lifeless and there was nothing they could do, Ahmad was told.

"There were 24 kids in that party, and I'm wondering if it was possible for any lifeguard or parent to supervise and control them," Ahmad said.

Ahmad was trying to fly his son back to Pakistan for the funeral yesterday, but formalities were not completed on time. "Hopefully, we will be able to fly on Tuesday night. Ali was a lively child when he came here, and all I'm taking back is a coffin and documents," Ahmad said.

Ali is survived by his parents and a sister, six-year-old Anna Zahra. Dubai Police said the death was an accident and there were no suspects.

"A family was hosting a party to which other families were invited, and by the time they noticed that a child was missing, he had already drowned," said Brigadier Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Director of Dubai Police's Criminal Investigation Department, adding that no one was held responsible for the death.

Most important

Dr Tapan Das, Sports in Charge and Head Swimming Coach at the Indian High School, said the most important thing for children's safety in pools is to encourage them to get in the water only when a lifeguard is present.

"Children should be informed which is the shallow side of the pool and allowed to acquire the swimming habit, which is just like walking," he said.

More lifeguard patrols at Jumeirah Beach

High waves and windy conditions forecast for next two days

By Joseph George

Published Sunday, March 06, 2011

Number of visitors to the beach have dropped drastically (JOSEPH GEORGE)

Jumeirah Open Beach in Dubai is now opened for public with more strict lifeguard patrols. However, the number of visitors have dropped drastically. On Sunday morning there were less than two dozen people.
Majdi Tag, a senior lifeguard with the Dubai Municipality told 'Emirates24|7' that a yellow flag has been hoisted and visitors are allowed to enter water in the morning as the conditions are relatively safe.
“It’s towards noon that the sea begins to get rough when we hoist the red flag. Then we do not allow people to even touch water,” he said.
The place did not witness any untoward or dangerous incidents last week, mainly due to very strict patrolling. “I was told by an official that 11 people were rescued by Dubai Police Rescue Team over the weekend. Seven of them were from the beach close to the Jumerirah Beach Residence and four from the beach close to Burj Al Arab. None of them are controlled by the Dubai Municipality,” he added.
Dubai Municipality employs 34 lifeguards who man the three beaches at Mamzar, Jumeirah Beach Park and at the Open Beach. “Six of them are stationed at the Open Beach alone. We have had no untoward incidents this year. One person drowned in February 2010 - unfortunately, he was swimming in a non-permitted zone," said Tag who has 17 years experience as lifeguard with Dubai Municipality.
“People believe good lifeguard is when they have a lot of rescues. My opinion is that a good lifeguard is someone who prevents people from getting into an accident in the first place,” he added. Remembering one of his rescues he said, “AN Indian family of seven people were getting drowned when they were trying to save one of their family members who was drowning. I had to rush into the water and with the help of four other lifeguards we managed to rescue all of them,” he added.
Forecast
Meanwhile, the National Center for Metrology and Seismology has re-issued a warning for people not to go to the beach for the next two days due to high waves and winds.

The center’s forecast states that the weather today (Sunday) will be windy and dusty, and there is possibility of rain in the southern and western parts of the country. The sea waves will be high as well.

"On Monday, there is a possibility of rain, especially in the morning, and it will also become dusty. Sea waves will be high and the public is advised not to get into the sea for their safety," the center said.

As for Tuesday, the weather will be partially foggy and cloudy, and the temperature will rise gradually.

Dh3,000 Dubai penalty for pools without lifeguards

DM guideline stresses the importance of a qualified lifeguard at every residential building pool

By Sneha May Francis source:

Published Saturday, November 01, 2014

While some building owners hire lifeguards, others let watchman man the pool (Sneha May Francis)

Most Dubai residential complexes boast a swimming pool but how many are supervised by a qualified lifeguard? Not many.

And this, despite the law clearly stating that a lifeguard must be stationed at the swimming pool in a residential building.

While some building owners hire lifeguards, others ignore these basic safety guidelines and let their building watchman man the pool.

Talking to ‘Emirates24|7’, Sultan Essa Al Suwaidi, head of public safety at the Dubai Municipality, said overlooking this rule could cost the land owner. “If the swimming pool is not guarded by an approved life guard then the building owner can be penalized with a fine of Dh3,000.”

That’s only for first-time offenders. “If they continue to flout the rules then the penalty can be increased, and, if the case demands then we could even order the closure of the pool.”

In fact, Sultan stressed that the need for a lifeguard is outlined when the blueprint of the building goes in for approval.

“Even during the stages of getting a building blueprint approved, a swimming pool drawing will show an allotted marking for a lifeguard. Without this no building will get an approval.”

Sultan explained that a watchman can’t double up as a lifeguard. “The skills for each job is different. One man can’t do both. The lifeguard must be qualified to his duty.”

Many residential buildings in Dubai blatantly ignore this rule.

“There’s no one monitoring our building swimming pool. The watchman used to keep it under lock and key, but now leaves it open. He’s never around, and I often spot young kids playing in the pool without any adult supervision,” stated a resident in Bur Dubai.

“There are no floats or other safety equipment around either,” added another. “There is a board that states many rules, but there’s no lifeguard around.”

Another resident complained about how children are left unsupervised in the pool. “I see them diving into the pool. Some don't even know how to swim but jump in just to have fun. It’s scary,” reported a resident of Al Nahda.

Some watchmen who spoke to this website even confessed not knowing how to swim. “I’ve been asked to go there and check once in a while, so I do it,” said one of them.