The now open pool in Plains was closed last year because of a lack of lifeguard education.
Three local first responders came together to make it their mission to open the pool this summer. Lyle Fisher — pool manager and a first responder — explained what the last year was like trying to open the pool.
“Last year, ultimately, what happened was just a lapse in the continuation of the lifeguard education. There's real small numbers in the state as far as instructors, and to get an instructor to come out here to Plains and facilitate a class for us... just wasn't going to happen for the small number that they have and the demand that they have, they're pretty tied up and it's not cheap.
"Ultimately the pool last year wasn't able to open because of those reasons," Fisher continued. "This year, a few local first responders — the rural fire chief, city guys and the ambulance got together, — really kind of pitched this idea [that] we need to make this happen for the community. Ultimately, the idea is just getting that first aid and...CPR coverage out of the areas where it needs to be at."
While still running EMS calls and protecting their community, the three now lifeguard-certified first responders made their way down to Missoula, even braving elements on the road.
“Myself, my EMS director, and then a city fireman — Matt Fields — all took it upon ourselves. We went to Missoula, we knocked out the in-class portion...to be Certified Red Cross lifeguards ourselves," Fisher explained. "And then shortly after that, we went and took the step to go do the instructor portion in Missoula. We did that in Currents and got it knocked out pretty quick/"
However, the process of opening the pool wasn't over yet. Once the three men were lifeguard instructor certified, they needed to train nine lifeguards, which was a three-day process.
“We did a combination blended class. So we're actually able to send out digital information and videos online for them to do and test out," Fisher told MTN. "And then we did all the, the wet time...in the pool, as far as entries and rescues and stuff like that."
First responders worked so the pool could be reopened this summer, and Fisher the response has been overwhelming.
“It's substantial — the support, the outpouring of people who have just been pat on the back and congratulations. The only other alternative right now is to go down to the river and really swim with your kids. And we want to really navigate people away from that," Fisher explained. That's a chaotic environment with no control and a current that'll take you down to Thompson Falls before you know it.
"Here we have lifeguards on deck on duty and trained to do the right thing at the right times. So the parents, the grandparents, the caregivers, whether it's during open swim...swim lessons...folks are stopping me and, and the other lifeguards are just saying thank you and they're very appreciative,” Fisher continued.
The training of lifeguards has allowed the pool in Plains to reopen while also serving as a chance to educate the next generation in the community.
“That's also very important to the next generation of kids. That's actually for me — that was a big driving factor. I really wanted to kind of cultivate the education forward and bring people into it as almost bringing the lifeguards into the fold of the first responder community,” Fisher said.
Fisher also hopes to impact the next generation of potential first responders.
“If they're going through this training and it's something that they're passionate about and actually, showing promise in [it], I'd like to get them involved in an EMT class locally," Fisher said. "And whether they stay here or go Missoula or something with that education, just knowing that we were able to be that foundation here in Plains; that's one of my goals."
"When we taught these guys, we taught them as if we were teaching an EMT class. Seth and I were very novice lifeguards, but we've given EMT classes and we've been EMTs for a while. So when it came to the first aid, the CPR, all of the ailments and injuries that kind of go alongside it. These guys, they got the full deal,” Fisher said.
Plains Community Ambulance Board President Seth Gibbs, who is also a lifeguard instructor, says giving the lifeguards — who are mostly high school students — an opportunity to work and save lives is the main goal of opening the pool.
“I know I worked a ton as a high schooler and it gives you a sense of work ethic and it lets you enter the workforce early. And you're able to take that response and build off with your life. And being able to do something as important as a lifeguard allows you to understand and accept the responsibility that sometimes saving somebody's life can start at whatever age. "Because it's all what and how you want to train and being able to offer these kids a way to see life in a new perspective and open the door."
"Maybe they take this lifeguard class, they work that for a year and maybe someday they want to work in EMS, they want to work on fire, they want to become a paramedic," Gibbs noted "It opens up a whole new world of job opportunities for them,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs says that being a part of this opportunity is a way for first responders to work with the community when it's not an emergency — and to prevent them.
“It was a great privilege to be involved in this opportunity. This idea of the first responders getting in the world of lifeguarding was kind of a new idea, but it was a great one because we give so much to this community. But we also want to keep the community safe. And being a lifeguard is one of the first things that you can do is a first-line response. It's allowed us to get involved more directly with our community and allowed us to come alongside them and show that we are here in times of preventing emergencies for sure."
Gibbs told MTN he hopes people will now decided to take a dip in the pool instead of the river.
“It's honestly like a great comfort knowing that the pool's open and that people are able to come swim without the fear of a current. But we still get tons of people who go down to the river. But we're hoping that those that have gone down to the river have been at the pool. They've learned to swim, they've taken a swim lesson here and have a bit of an experience with that."
Last year's pool closure also meant that swim lessons weren't able to be offered.
“And I know I took swim lessons as a young kid and that really helped me and taught me how to swim," Gibbs said. Those swim lessons that my parents provided for me as a young kid allowed me to swim safely without a lifeguard...it's nice to be able to help provide the ability for people to staff this pool to help keep it safe and to provide something like swim lessons to teach kids how to swim."
Ryler Clark, who is one of the nine lifeguards, explained how the Plains pool has impacted his summer as a high schooler.
“It's pretty cool. This is my first job, so I'm just happy to have this opportunity. This is such a great community we have here,” Clark said.
But it's the community that really is what makes the Plains pool a family environment.
“My favorite part of working at the pool is the community here and the people and it's just like a great job if you want to meet people,” Clark said.
Gavin Hafner, a coworker of Clark says that it was the life saving skills that drew him to the pool.
“The certifications just having the life saving certifications that you would have if some, if somebody collapsed on the street, I know how to save them and I can save them,” Hafner said.
Making sure the community is safe is another reason Hafner applied and was certified as a lifeguard, “Probably the swimming, swimming and the fact that I'm helping the pool stay open and keeping kids safe."
The Plains pool is open weekdays from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.
