Q. What are your responsibilities as a Program Coordinator in Safety Services?

A. I coordinate the selection, training, and retraining of Safety Services Instructor Trainers. This includes First Aid, CPR, and Aquatics. Because Instructor Trainers are a vital link in the implementation of new programs, I am active with the roll-out of new national products for the Mid-America Chapter.

Q. Red Cross and Aquatics is a hot issue at this time. Why were the new programs initiated? What caused the changes to occur?

A. Red Cross has been synonymous with aquatics for 75 years. Throughout the past 75 years the American Red Cross has upgraded their educational programs several times to stay current with market demands and needs. The most recent market survey collected in the area of aquatics was in 1987. This survey was conducted on a national level with various aquatic facility managers. Our organization had to critically evaluate the effectiveness of our existing programs and instructional system and update skills in accordance with current guidelines.

Rumors that have developed over the past couple years about the pending changes in American Red Cross aquatics have contributed greatly to the anxiety level of both Water Safety Instructors and aquatic facility managers. The titles under the current instructional design of Water Safety Instructor and Lifeguard Training Instructor have not changed. Programs within these areas have been added, revised, or not changed.

New safety awareness programs being added to the Water Safety Instructor authorization are: the American Red Cross Infant and Preschool Aquatic Program, Whale Tales, and the American Red Cross Safety Training for Swim Coaches. The existing programs that have been revised under the current Water Safety Instructor authorization are: the American Red Cross Basic Rescue, the American Red Cross Basic Water Safety, and the American Red Cross Advanced Lifesaving. The new series of water safety and rescue courses are: the new American Red Cross Basic Water Safety, the new American Red Cross Emergency Water Safety, and the American Red Cross Lifeguard Training Program. The progressive swimming program has not been changed.

Q. What is the time line in compliance with all the new courses and their certifications?

A. We have until December 31, 1990 to make the total transition from old to new. The roll-out of these programs started in December of 1988 with the retraining of the American Red Cross' National Faculty. They then retrain desig-

(Continued, on next page)

nated Water Safety Instructor Trainers representing Red Cross chapters and facilities all over the world. This is taking place from January through March, 1989. We at the Mid-America Chapter hosted a regional retraining of Water Safety Instructor Trainers at Northeastern Illinois University February 22-24, 1989. These representatives returned to their home chapters and started the rollout on a local level by retraining the other Water Safety Instructor Trainers and the Water Safety Instructors in their chapter.

Water Safety Instructor Trainers can continue to teach the current WSI course until July 1, 1990. All current certifications will be honored by the American Red Cross until their expiration date.

Q. Is it recommended, if you have staff returning that only have one or two years of service left with your agency, to not retrain them because their cards would currently be good for another two or three years?

A. That is a decision to be made by the aquatic facility manager. The American Red Cross will honor all current certifications until their expiration date. Currently state legislation in Illinois lists Advanced Lifesaving, or its equivalent, as the required certification to lifeguard at an aquatic facility. We anticipate that changing since the certification of Advanced Lifesaving will no longer exist after December 31, 1990. I think the wisest action to take is to have your facility WSI's retrained so all future programs being offered will be new ones.

Q. I have lifeguards returning to the pool this summer who have the advanced lifesaving certificate. What do they need to do to get their new lifeguard certification?

A. During this period of implementation, we'll be offering lifeguard training for individuals currently ALS certified. This program takes into account the knowledge already gained through ALS certification. The length of the upgrading course is 15 hours versus the 27 hours required for the complete basic course. It is required under the new lifeguard training program to have certification in the new American Red Cross Standard First Aid or its equivalent.

Q. Do they have to get the Standard First Aid while they're taking the new Lifeguard Training course or can it be done before or after the course?

A. Students can obtain the required Standard First Aid certificate before, during, or after the lifeguard training course. A student has up to 30 days upon completion of the lifeguard training course to obtain the Standard First Aid certificate. Only upon completion of the Standard First Aid will the student then receive his/her lifeguarding certificate.

Q. If I want this same person to also be able to teach the progressive swim lessons, what do they have to do to get that certification?

A. Because this particular student already has completed the prerequisite course for Water Safety Instructor, s/he will need to complete "Introduction to Health Services Education" (IHSE) that is approximately four hours in length and the Water Safety Instructor course which is 36 hours in length under the new materials.

Q. I would like this same person, who has now gotten the new WSI certification, to be able to train lifeguards. What kind of courses would they need to complete for this certification?

A. This individual started with the certification of ALS. In 15 hours we upgraded him/her to a new lifeguard. To become a WSI s/he completed IHSE and the WSI course. To add Lifeguard Instructor to his/her instructor portfolio, s/he can immediately enter the Lifeguard Training Instructor program that is 15 hours in length. This is possible because s/he has already completed the prerequisites of the basic lifeguard training and IHSE.

Q. You mentioned "Whale Tales". Can you tell us what exactly is the "Whale Tales" program?

A. "Whale Tales" is a safety awareness program that is targeted to children in primary grades. The course can be taught by any mature adult with experience in teaching. The packet consists of lesson plans, five main units, three optional units, posters, and a variety of activity sheets for the students based on age. The messages of the various units are simple and direct; for example, "Throw, Don't Go", and "Be Cool, Follow the Rule".

Q. What is the Safety Training for Swim Coaches Program?

A. It's a program designed to provide training in aquatic safety for competitive swimming coaches. Along with the new American Red Cross Standard First Aid course, it provides the level of training being required by the U.S. Swimming Team. Some of the areas that it covers are safety awareness in competitive swimming, safety considerations at aquatic facilities, emergency response and medical conditions in competitive swimming.

Q. What does the new Standard First Aid Course entail?

A. The new course is divided into two topic areas: Adult CPR, and First Aid. The total course length is 8 hours. Students completing the course will receive two certificates — one for Adult CPR, good for one year, and one for First Aid, good for three years.

Q. What is the cost for a WSI to be retrained?

A. The retraining process for WSI's is conducted in two phases. The first phase introduces them to five new basic textbooks, and three new instructor textbooks. The second phase of retraining is optional. It is for WSI's who are current in ALS or who have taught ALS in the past two years or have a lifeguarding certificate and are interested in becoming Lifeguard Training Instructors. The second phase includes the lifeguard training textbook with two supplements and the instructor manual. The cost of these materials is $14.50.

Videos now available for use with the new textbooks are: Infant and Preschool Aquatic Program video ($60.00), Longfellow's Whale Tales video ($35.00), Spinal Injury Management video ($50.00), and the Emergency Aquatic Skills video ($85.00)

Q. It I want to get more information about any of these classes, what do I need to do?

A. Contact your local American Red Cross chapter or facility. The number can be found in the white pages of your local phone book.