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Training Session Safety Guidelines Coaches are a major part of aquatics programs. They need to be well-informed and trained in all facility procedures, such as emergency action plans, completing and filing accident reports and complying with follow-up procedures to an incident that may have occurred while they were in charge.   Electrical Safety Electrical shock is a very real hazard in the operation of swimming pools. Permanent or temporary electrical connections and wires used with the following equipment may come in contact with water, including: Underwater lights Tape recorders Record players Automatic timing devices Place clocks Electronic loud speakers Start systems Pool vacuum cleaners Many other types of electrical devices operating on line voltages in the vicinity of the racing course involve wires stretched across the pool deck. These devices are connected to the power supply. In case of electrical shock or electrocution, call emergency personnel, and follow the facility's emergency action plan. Shut off the power source and immediately check the swimmer's airway, breathing and circulation. Use nonconductive equipment to remove the swimmer from the source of electricity if the power cannot be turned off.   Assists and Rescues Swimmers may be in danger of drowning from a head injury, heart attack, stroke, fainting, overexertion, seizure or incapacitating cramps as well as other causes.   How the Coach Can Assist Teach swimmers that if they feel panicky, they should try to reach the lane lines and use the lines for support. You can use the reaching, throwing or wading methods described below to assist a swimmer in a water emergency. In most cases, at least one of these measures will be successful. While you attempt to make an assist, someone in your group must be prepared to call emergency personnel immediately, if necessary, to attend to the rescued swimmer.   Drowning Situation In this situation, a swimmer is unable to call for help or to wave their arms. A distress situation may become a drowning situation when the swimmer, for whatever reason, is no longer able to keep afloat. Drowning situations may be classified as passive or active.   Passive In a passive drowning situation, the athlete may be conscious or unconscious. The swimmer may suddenly slip under water, making no attempt to call for help and may float facedown near the surface of the water. A passive drowning situation may result from any of the following causes: A heart attack or stroke An accidental blow to the head from another swimmer or an object such as a kickboard Hyperventilation and blackout Cold water shock after sudden submersion in cold water. The athlete may feel a strong urge to gasp. Gasping may cause the swimmer to take in water which, in turn, may cause panic and eventual suffocation. Active In contrast to a passive situation, the athlete in an active situation is conscious. Actions may be violent or weak, depending on the amount of energy the athlete possesses. An active drowning athlete's buoyancy will alternate between neutral and negative. The athlete's arms may be extended outward from the sides, thrashing up and down in the water, not allowing forward progress. Instead, the athlete will alternately raise and lower him/herself in the water.   Buoyancy may be lost each time the athlete goes beneath the surface. The athlete becomes less able to take in air and has to work harder to stay on the surface. Panic will begin to set in during the process, and the athlete will be unable to call for help because of concentrating all his/her efforts on breathing. Swimmers must be supported so they can breathe freely after initial contact and during the carry to safety. In distress or drowning situations, the coach must use safe and effective forms of rescue.   Equipment Pools and aquatic areas that are properly supervised usually have the equipment described at the end of this section. The equipment is kept in view at the pool or in the swimming area.   Do Not Endanger Yourself Remember, you can help a simmer in trouble only if you are in a safe position yourself and if you maintain control of the situation. The reaching, throwing and wading methods presented in this section will help keep you safe and in control. Swimming out to bring a distressed swimmer to safety requires special training. If a coach who has not had safety training approaches a distressed swimmer, he/she will be risking two lives. Leaping into the water to help someone may seem courageous, but choosing one of the methods described below is much more likely to result in a successful assist.   Reaching Assists Reach with a pole, a kickboard or other object. Firmly brace yourself on the pool deck and reach out to the athlete with any object that will lengthen your reach, such as a pole, kickboard, rescue tube, shirt, belt or towel. When the athlete is able to grasp the extended object, slowly and carefully pull the athlete to safety.   Reach with your arm or leg. In the water, use one hand to get a firm grasp on the pool ladder, overflow trough, or other secure object; then extend your free hand or one of your legs to the athlete. Maintain your grasp at the water's edge. Do not swim out into the water.   Throwing Assists You can throw a ring buoy, throw bag, rescue tube or other device for the athlete to grab and be pulled to safety. In order to throw: Get into a position that is safe and allows you to maintain your balance. Bend your knees. Step on the nonthrowing end of the rope. Aim your throw so that the device will fall just beyond the athlete and within reach. When the athlete has grasped the device, talk reassuringly while slowly pulling the athlete to safety, leaning your body weight away from the athlete as you pull. Ring Buoy This is made of buoyant cork, kapok or foam rubber. The buoy should have 20-25 meters of lightweight line with a lemon or other object at the end. This will float the line if it falls in the water and prevent the line from slipping out from under your foot when you throw the ring buoy. The buoy and coiled line is hung in an easily accessible location so that anyone can quickly grasp it.   Free-Floating Support A rescue buoy, kickboard, rescue tube and a ring buoy are examples of equipment that can used as free-floating supports. To use a free-floating support, push it to the athlete and encourage him/her to grasp the support and kick toward safety.   Wading Assists If the water is shallow (not above waist deep), you can wade in with an emergency device or buoyant object and extend it to the athlete. For this kind of assist, use a rescue tube, ring buoy, kickboard or pull buoy.   You can use the equipment for support in the water, and the athlete can grasp the other side of it. You can then pull the athlete to safety, or you can let go of the piece of equipment and tell the athlete to start kicking toward safety.   Always keep the piece of equipment between you and the athlete. If the athlete should panic and grab you, you could be in danger too. Keeping the piece of equipment between you and the athlete will help prevent the athlete from grabbing you.

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