- How to be safe in the open-air pool
Andreas Gaedicke, 53, is a "lifeguard" and the 2nd chairman of the federal association of Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg e.V. On hot days, around 1000 guests flock to his outdoor pool. Then, children and adults jostle in the swimming pools, on the slide, at the water climbing area, and in the play area. Within three minutes, says Gaedicke, he and his team must be able to inspect the entire premises for any possible swimming accidents. Because: "After three minutes without oxygen, the brain begins to die."
Here are his most important tips for a safe visit to the outdoor pool:
- "Never lose sight of your children. Some pools do ban parents who constantly look at their iPads or smartphones. This has really become a big problem. Parents have the duty of supervision! Just a few days ago, a five-year-old boy almost drowned here. He had jumped off the one-meter board, without swim wings, and couldn't swim. Children in such situations can't get their faces back above water and call for help. They drown silently. We owe it to the quick thinking of two teenagers that the child was kept afloat and rescued."
- "Never delegate responsibility to older siblings."
- "Leave the iPad at home."
- "Apply sunscreen. It's best to do this before you get to the outdoor pool. Sunscreen needs time to absorb. Otherwise, the protection washes off and pollutes the pool water."
- "Try an outdoor pool visit on cloudy, warm days. The pools are less crowded then, and you don't have to worry about sunburn."
Important at the outdoor pool: "Don't complain if the water is too cold"
- "Please don't bring any glass bottles. If they break, tiny shards can end up on the lawn or in the cracks between the slabs. We find it difficult to sweep them up from the wet ground. It becomes even more dangerous if white shard fragments end up in the swimming pool, as they are hardly noticeable."
- "Don't complain if you find the water too cold. The cold sensation is due to the difference between the surface temperature on your skin and the water temperature. If you bask in the sun for 30 minutes, the skin's surface temperature can reach 60 degrees. If you then jump into 23-degree water, the difference is 37 degrees, which you'll feel as a cold shock."
- "Electricity and heat are precious. A nearby outdoor pool heats up using energy from a local biogas plant. This is economical and allows the colleagues to provide a water temperature of 28 degrees for their guests. Perhaps there are such pools near you too."
- "Did you really apply sunscreen?"
- "Memorable photos from the outdoor pool are great. But never post them on social networks or WhatsApp. Other bathers might be visible in them. They have a right to privacy. Photography is now prohibited in many pools."
- "Fries are part of the outdoor pool experience. But take a break afterwards before jumping back into the pool. And throw the tray in the trash can, not on the ground."
- "Even if you find it annoying: Follow the instructions of the colleagues. It's our house, our rules."
- "Finally, a request: Have you ever thought about getting involved in swimming training? All clubs are urgently looking for volunteer helpers. The training of children has suffered greatly due to the Corona pandemic, and the waiting lists are still long. Later, the energy crisis due to the Ukraine war came along, with many pools heating the water to only 18 or 19 degrees. The little ones shivered, there was no thought of swimming training. There is a lot to catch up on."
- The heat from the sun can help reduce the cold sensation when entering the pool, as it increases the skin's surface temperature.
- On hot days, the pool water might feel colder due to the difference in temperatures, but it's still important to avoid complaining about it.
