This has been the standard at the traditional hotel pool, but the landscape is changing. As premier players in the hotel/motel industry pull out all the stops to attract leisure travelers, the pool area is becoming the place to renovate. When they add water attractions, most facilities also add lifeguards. But not all.

Holdouts in the hotel/motel industry say having lifeguards increases liability. If a drowning occurs when lifeguards are present, negligence is presumed and, in cases that reach a courtroom, awards can triple.

But, they argue, when signs are properly designed and placed in such a way that they warn patrons of potential danger, it often falls back on the guests to heed that warning and be responsible for their own safety.

They also contend that guards can give hotel guests a false sense of security. For example, some parents incorrectly assume that the guard is there to “take care” of the children in the pool area and, in so thinking, they let down their guard. Many a floundering swimmer has been plucked out by a hotel lifeguard as the parent lounged nearby, relaxing with drink and novel in hand.

However, that’s a strong reason facilities need to consider the “Rule of Numbers,” according to Gerald Dworkin, a consultant with Lifesaving Resources Inc. in Harrisville, N.H. As hotels lure more and more visitors with water attractions, the probability of pool accidents and injuries will increase. Thus, it’s in the hotel owners’ best interest to prevent an accident before it happens. And when it comes to water safety, lifeguards are the key.

Of course, there are other reasons for hotels to add lifeguards. In some cases, it’s simply the law. In other cases, hotels decide to have guards because they believe that it “raises the standard of care at the hotel.” For example, The Crawdaddy Cove Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites in Madison, Wis., has always employed lifeguards to provide an extra measure of safety for guests. Feedback has been positive and the guards have made numerous saves over the years.

Lifeguards also are important at hotels that sell pool memberships to the community or rent their facilities for events such as birthday parties or other big get-togethers. For example, room blocks rented out to youth sports groups can result in overcrowded, dangerous pool situations. Family reunions hosted at hotels pose similar risks. After all, the pool area is a great rendezvous point. While everyone is exchanging pleasantries, it’s not uncommon for Mom or Dad to confuse who is watching the kids. Children have drowned with their distracted parents in close proximity.

The advantage to having lifeguards is clear. One guest summed it up this way: “I feel safer with lifeguards on duty. They do such a good job of keeping things under control. At hotels where there are no guards, unruly children and adults can ruin the pool for everyone else.”

But not just any guard has the right stuff to work in a hotel environment.

“Because of other activities taking place in the hotel, if an incident occurs, backup may not be immediately available,” says Marylou Jung, a lifeguard instructor who trains guards working at hotel pools. “That makes the job harder. A hotel isn’t the place for a first-time guard to be starting out. It’s important to hire guards who have experience and then provide them with ongoing training in situations they’re likely to face.”

The shortage of lifeguards in the aquatics industry increases the difficulty of finding the right person. But as hotels transition their pools to attract more guests and potentially increase risks, the effort that goes into recruiting and training guards with the “right stuff” may prove to be well worth the undertaking.

About the author
Maria Bella is a Reading, Pa.-based consultant
with Professional Pool Solutions, LLC, a risk-management
firm that specializes in training pool operators and
lifeguards working in the hotel industry.