'Lifeguards are not babysitters': Response to mum turned away from pool
A lifesaver boss has hit out at a mum criticising a local swimming pool for refusing entry to her and three young children.
Bridget Murphy claimed she visited the Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre in Bexley, in Sydney’s south, last Thursday but was told she could not enter unless there was an adult per child.
The Royal Life Saving Australia policy states children aged between 0 and five must be within arms’ reach and children six to 10 must be close while parents maintain constant visual eye contact.
“I got to the desk and they said, ‘We can’t let you in because you have got three kids’,” Ms Murphy told the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader.
"They said this is as per Royal Life Saving Australia's 'stay within arms' reach' policy. It's a good policy but it seems Bexley pool's management has interpreted it differently to other pools.”
Royal Life Saving Australia chief executive Justin Scarr said he supported the policy and parents needed to play their role in supervising their children.
He told Channel Nine’s Today program the policy had been put in place after seven children drowned and 170 were hospitalised as a result of near drowning in public pools in the past 10 years.
“Our lifeguards are not babysitters, our swimming pools are not daycare centres,” he said.
“Local facilities do have some responsibility to do a risk assessment and have a look at their pool. In that particular case I believe the manager of that facility has determined there is not enough toddler swimming pools for young children and other facilities in the council area may be more appropriate.”
The Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre is operated by BlueFit and owned by Bayside Council.
BlueFit CEO Todd McHardy told the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader safety was paramount.
“We acknowledge that entry was refused of an adult with three small children last week, as per our policy as operators. Coming into summer, safety around water has to be a priority,” he said.
"Our company blanket policy is to employ the 'Within Arms Reach' program whereby all children under 6 wear a yellow wristband. If our lifeguards see a child with a wristband in the water without an adult within arms reach they will remove them from the water.”
Yahoo News Australia has contacted the Angelo Anestis Aquatic Centre for comment.
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