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03/16/2022 08:30 AMWhen it comes to training certified lifeguards to aid swimmers at town beaches and pools, you could say Lisa Rathsack is a real lifesaver. As Branford Parks and Recreation’s seasoned lifeguard trainer and pool supervisor, Lisa is the point person who’s been keeping the town’s guards on top of ever-changing COVID protocols and practices during the past two years, when COVID also curbed Lisa’s opportunities to train new recruits. Now, she’s diving in to help community members to become trained as certified lifeguards at a time when the nationwide pool of qualified guards is experiencing a dip.
Lisa is excited to share that she will soon be heading up American Red Cross-certified lifeguard training offered at no cost to recruits who commit to six months of service as a local lifeguard. Branford Parks and Recreation guards work the shoreline including the public beach at Branford Point and public summer programs offered at the Connecticut Hospice Pool, together with year-round programs at Walsh Intermediate School (WIS) pool (when available). Parks and Rec is also teaming up with Soundview Family YMCA’s current lifeguard recruitment drive in a mutual effort to promote training opportunities and potentially share guard resources. Lisa will lead Parks and Rec’s training classes, for which at least two sessions are planned, while Soundview Family YMCA staff will also offer upcoming training courses.
“There is no cost for those classes—the participant just needs to agree to guard for Park and Rec and/or Soundview Family Y,” says Lisa. “So it’s a great opportunity to get certified and find out what guarding’s all about.”
In addition to training new recruits, the course is available to anyone with a lapsed lifeguard certification who wants to become re-certified. Minimum requirements for those seeking to become pool guards include being able to swim 300 consecutive yards, tread water for two minutes hands-free, and complete a successful underwater brick retrieval exercise.
New Branford Parks and Recreation recruits are encouraged to contact Lisa about becoming certified by sending an email to recreation@branford-ct.gov. More information on either program can be found by visiting the websites of Branford Parks and Rec (branfordct.myrec.com) or Soundview Family YMCA (cccymca.org/locations/soundview).
“It’s a great experience; and it’s not just for kids, either,” says Lisa of lifeguarding. “It could be a nice opportunity for retirees, or people who just want to help out the community a little bit, or anyone who can swim!”
During the pandemic, when other towns closed their public beaches, Lisa helped Branford Parks and Rec take on the challenge of staffing Branford Point with full-time lifeguards during the summer of 2020. Assisted by senior guard Kathleen Daley, Lisa then worked with the guards to keep up skills, incorporate COVID-19 training protocols and train in the water and on land. The group affectionately named themselves the Lemonheads due to their bright yellow swim caps.
In addition to bringing in certified pool guards for indoor programs once they get underway at the WIS pool, Branford Parks and Rec needs guards for the 2022 summer season who are pool and/or beach certified. According to the job posting at the department’s website, responsibilities for lifeguards include monitoring swimming area activities to prevent accidents and provide assistance to swimmers, cautioning swimmers regarding unsafe swim areas, rescuing swimmers in danger of drowning, administering First Aid/CPR when needed, and maintaining order in swimming areas at all times. Also paramount to the position is ensuring “the safety and well-being of the patrons and to observe end enforce all rules and regulations governing the public pools and beaches,” according to the job post.
Guarding is a way of life for Lisa, who first became certified as a lifeguard in 1996. She serves with Branford Parks and Rec in a part-time capacity and first joined the Branford program in 2017. To start, she helped out with teaching aquatic exercise classes, giving swim lessons and providing lifeguard training.
“I’ve worked in a few different capacities since then; and I do have a full-time job elsewhere, so this is very much a part-time thing for me. But it’s something I still enjoy,” says Lisa, who works full-time as a human resources professional.
Lisa and her husband, Rick, moved to Branford about two years ago after living in North Haven since about 2008. As someone who grew up in Wisconsin, Lisa is especially delighted to have now found a home Branford, a shoreline town she has come to love.
“I was definitely excited about the opportunity to continue working for Branford Parks and Rec. I love being close to water, I love swimming, and it just seems like a great community,” she says of her new hometown.
Prior to the pandemic, Branford Parks and Rec was offering lifeguard training classes fall, winter and spring at WIS and summer at the Connecticut Hospice Pool in Short Beach. That helped Lisa to develop a solid number of guards to staff public sites. During COVID, Lisa was able to offer some lifeguard recertification classes (required every two years) and in-service courses for existing guards as well as updates on additional precautions to take when providing first aid during COVID. But, due to COVID restrictions, she wasn’t able to offer any new training.
“So after two years of being able to run only a limited supply of classes, it’s not what it was before,” says Lisa of the program’s lifeguard ranks. “So, I think it’s going to take a little bit of effort to bring it back.”
To qualify as an American Red Cross lifeguard trainer, Lisa needs to re-certify every two years. Her training also brings back to Branford any new information, updates and qualifications required by the program.
“The Red Cross periodically will bring out a new version of the course. They’re constantly looking at things, evaluating things and talking to professionals,” says Lisa, adding, “ideally, lifeguard training is really just the beginning of training for lifeguards. They should also be going through regular in-services, so when that moment does happen, you just revert [to] as you’ve been trained, and go through it. “
Teaching others how to save lives is gratifying, says Lisa. While every certified guard stands ready to make a save, “the best lifeguards don’t have that many saves, because they’re preventing them,” she adds. “Prevention is key. It’s being aware, it’s being very proactive, it’s being assertive. There’s also an educational component to it, as well. Lifeguards can service the community by educating on what is safe and what is unsafe behavior around the water.”
Parents and guardians need to play an important part in that safety, by monitoring the children they bring to a swim area, even in situations where a lifeguard is on duty, Lisa points out.
“Drowning is still the leading cause of death for children ages one through four. Drowning is preventable. No child should ever be left unsupervised near any water,” she says.
Lisa also wants to emphasize that the upcoming certification being offered by Branford Parks and Rec and Soundview Family YMCA is offering a rare opportunity to become trained and certified as a lifeguard at no cost in exchange for a six-month commitment. Generally, such as training courses can cost upwards of $300.
“We are actively recruiting, and it’s a great time to get trained at no cost,” says Lisa, adding the skill set can become lead to a job you’ll love, like her.
“It’s a great full-time job during the summer, and it can be a great part-time job year-round,” she says. “I’ve been doing this for years, and I really enjoy it.”