UNITED STATES LIFESAVING ASSOCIATION - c.ymcdn.com · Approval of Minutes – Motion by Mr. Dave Foxwell to approve the meeting minutes from the Board of Dire c tors Meeting in Williamsburg,

UNITED STATES LIFESAVING ASSOCIATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING AND

EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE

Moody Gardens Seven Hope Blvd.

Galveston, Texas 77554

April 29 – May 1, 2010

Thursday, April 29, 2010 – Board of Directors & Committees

Board of Directors Meeting: 9:00 a.m.

1. Call to Order - Mr. B. Chris Brewster

1.1. Pledge of Allegiance - Mr. Charlie Hartl

1.2. Ceremony of the Mixing of the Waters – Welcome by Reverend John Donovan.

1.3. Welcome and Introductions – Mr. B. Chris Brewster.

2. Roll Call of Delegates – Ms. Nikki Bowie.

DELEGATE VOTES BASED ON MEMBERSHIP (AS OF 3/21/10)

Member/Director Ratio

2- 25 1 Director

26-100 2 Directors

101-200 3 Directors

201-400 4 Directors

401-600 5 Directors

601-800 6 Directors

801-and over 7 Directors

MEMBERS VOTES PRESENT PROXY TOTAL JUNIORS

GREAT LAKES JOE PECORARO

17 1 1 1 13

GULF COAST PETER DAVIS

TONY PRYOR

88 2 2 2 94

MID-ATLANTIC ED ZEBROWSKI

TIM GALLAGHER

DAVE FOXWELL

ED KIZIUKIEWICZ

CHARLES HARTL

DENISE BLAIR

ED ZEBROWSKI III

1239 7 7 7 716

NEW ENGLAND

12 1 0 0 0

NORTHWEST BERT WHITAKER

1 PROXY 57 2 1 1 2 0

PACIFIC ISLANDS RALPH GOTO

13 1 1 1 0

SOUTH ATLANTIC TOM GILL

RALPH WAGNER

RON WATSON

NIKKI BOWIE

ADRIENNE GROH

MICKEY HUTTO

787 6 6 6 85

SOUTHEAST GERRY FALCONER

ERIC SCHWARTZ

JO WAGENHALS

JIM MCCRADY

JONATHAN BILLINGS 535 5 5 5 1049

SOUTHWEST MIKE BEUERLEIN

CHARLOTTE GRAHAM

BILL RICHARDSON

ROB WILLIAMS

ROB MCGOWAN

REENIE BOYER

ROBERT MOORE

1249 7 7 7 6714

SUB TOTALS 3997 32 30 1 31 8671

NATIONAL (AT LARGE) 1 0

TOTALS 3998 8671

Additional Attendees:

Great Lakes Region: Jerry Gavin, Andy Braudy

Gulf Coast – Penny Shull, Kara Harrison, Mike Reardon

Mid-Atlantic Region: Dave Shotwell, Andy Healey, Tom Daly

New England Region: Robert Bertrand

Pacific Islands – Kalani Vierra

South Atlantic Region: Janie Watson,

Southeast Region: Dr. Peter Wernicki, Medical Advisor, Scott Petersohn

Southwest Region: Jay Butki, Gus Avila, Craig Lumb, Ron Schafer, Richard Hidalgo, Bill Humphries

Members of the Executive Board: President B. Chris Brewster, Secretary Nikki Bowie, Treasurer Rob Williams, Executive Delegate Chris Graham, Advisor Tim

Gallagher, Liaison Peter Davis

3. Approval of Agenda – Motion by Mr. Eric Schwartz to approve the agenda, 2nd by Mr. Jonathan Billings. Mr. Bill Richardson proposed to remove the Executive Committee meeting from the agenda in reference to Bylaw article VIII, Section 4, B, 2. No motion arose from this proposal. Motion to approve the agenda passed, 3 opposed.

4. Approval of Minutes – Motion by Mr. Dave Foxwell to approve the meeting minutes from the Board of Directors Meeting in Williamsburg, VA, November 3-5, 2009, 2nd by Ms. Denise Blair. Mr. Rob McGowan raised a concern that specific comments he made at the fall Executive Committee Meeting regarding his concern that it should not meet at all at Board meetings were not included in the Executive Committee minutes. The Chair suggested that approval of the Executive Committee minutes be held for the next meeting, with Mr. McGowan invited to submit his suggestions to the Secretary. The remainder of the meeting minutes from Williamsburg were approved.

5. President’s Opening Remarks – Mr. Brewster presented a Power Point presentation on unique opportunities available to the USLA. [President’s Remarks.PDF]

6. Officers Activity Reports - It was requested that verbal reports be limited to approximately two minutes, highlighting the key points in written reports previously submitted to the Secretary and published.

6.1. President (Mr. B. Chris Brewster) Mr. Brewster highlighted his written report: Made a presentation at NRPA Aquatics conference in Houston to promote USLA’s certification program and our educational DVDs; worked with NOAA and particularly the NWS on a new proposal on how they will do their rip current warnings; worked with the National Parks Service on a water safety program for their “Web Rangers”; continued work with the USOC and Mr. More; assembled and published the annual USLA report; continued to work with YMCA, ARC and USAA Swimming. [2010_01_04_USLABOD_PresidentActivity.PDF]

6.2. Vice President (Mr. Joe McManus) Mr. McManus was not present and his report will stand as submitted. Mr. Brewster read a letter from Mr. McManus stating his resignation from the Vice President position due to personal circumstances. [2010_01_05_USLABOD_VicePresidentActivity.PDF]

6.3. Secretary (Ms. Nikki Bowie) Ms. Bowie noted that meeting minutes are normally circulated in a draft form for comment after each meeting and that comments are welcome at that time. She requested that any concerns be brought to her attention at the earliest possible opportunity, to allow for timely corrections prior to the next meeting. [2010_01_06_USLABOD_SecretaryActivity.PDF]

6.4. Treasurer (Mr. Rob Williams) Mr. Williams reported that the budget continues to strive. He has opened a new account on PayPal to satisfy Uniserve requirements. The Ways and Means report has been updated

and available. [2010_01_07_USLABOD_TreasurerActivity.PDF]

6.5. Executive Delegate (Mr. Charlie Hartl) Mr. Hartl requested that his report stand as submitted. [2010_01_08_USLABOD_ExecutiveDelegateAction.PDF]

6.6. Advisor (Mr. Tim Gallagher) No report.

6.7. Liaison Officer (Mr. Peter Davis) Mr. Davis thanked his staff for all their hard work on the meeting. He requested that his report stand as submitted, but did mention that there has been interesting development in the Americas Region of the ILS. [2010_01_10_USLABOD_LiaisonActivity.PDF]

6.8. Medical Advisor (Dr. Peter Wernicki) Dr. Wernicki highlighted his report. He read a statement from the AAA book on Florida regarding swimming where lifeguards are present and referencing the USLA and the Florida Chief’s Association. The Lifeguard Standards Coalition is almost complete. Work with the ILS Medical Committee and Anti-doping Committee continues as does the Red Cross subcommittee with Dr. Peter Chambers. There was an extensive lead article in the Journal “Anesthesiology” entitled “Drowning Update 2009” as a review on how to treat drowning victims in the ER. Dr. Wernicki, Mr. Brewster, and Dr. William Culp wrote a letter to the editor of Anesthesiology, which was published, emphasizing that expanded provision of lifeguards can prevent drowning, which can save more lives than enhanced treatment of drowning victims. There is an online voluntary rescue survey that asks for lifeguards to report data after a rescue is made. Dr. Wernicki would like to get an endorsement from the USLA to support this survey. [2010_01_11_USLABOD_MedicalAdvisorActivity.PDF]

6.9. Legal Advisor (Mr. Chip More) Mr. Brewster reported for Mr. More that the original person, Joe Jean, who arranged our Pro Bono agreement with Dickstein Shapiro is no longer with that firm, although the firm will continue to honor our agreement with them. Mr. Jean has also offered to have his new firm to do Pro Bono work as well. [2010_01_12_USLABOD_LegalAdvisorActivity.PDF]

7. Regional Council Activity Reports

7.1. Great Lakes (Mr. Joe Pecoraro) Mr.Pecoraro reported that things are looking up in the region. There is a new chapter – the North Shore Chapter. [2010_01_25_USLABOD_GreatLakesActivity.PDF]

7.2. Gulf Coast (Mr. Tony Pryor) Mr. Pryor requested that his report stand as submitted. [2010_01_26_USLABOD_GulfCoastActivity.PDF]

7.3. Mid-Atlantic (Mr. Ed Zebrowski) Mr. Zebrowski requested that his report stand as submitted. [2010_01_22_USLABOD_MidAtlanticActivity.PDF]

7.4. Northwest (Mr. Bert Whitaker for Ms. Cathy VonWald) Mr. Whitaker requested that the report stand as submitted. [2010_01_27_USLABOD_NorthwestActivity.PDF]

7.5. Pacific Islands (Mr. Ralph Goto) Mr. Goto requested that his report stand as submitted. [2010_01_29_USLABOD_PacificIslandsActivity.PDF]

7.6. South Atlantic (Mr. Tom Gill) Mr. Gill requested that his report stand as submitted. [2010_01_23_USLABOD_SouthAtlanticActivity.PDF]

7.7. Southeast (Mr. Joe McManus) Mr. Gerry Falconer reported for Mr. McManus . Mr. Falconer introduced Jonathan Billings and Eric Schwartz and reported that Jo Wagenhals has been promoted to Captain in Pompano Beach. [2010_01_24_USLABOD_SoutheastActivity.PDF]

7.8. Southwest (Mr. Mike Beuerlein) Mr. Beuerlein highlighted his written report. One of USLA’s goals has been to raise funds to hire an Executive Director. While the region agrees, CSLSA objected to the ISG agreement. CSLSA hopes that this is a successful venture and that the 2010 National Lifeguard Championships will be the first test. Mr. Beurelein stated that the HSBLA requested to change 2010 National Championships dates so as to not conflict with the US Open of Surfing due to hotel occupancy. CSLSA is encouraged by a proposal to reorganize the National Championships. The region believes that USLA should be the official host. Continues to work with USLA to find a way to affiliate with the USOC without drastically changing the structure of USLA. Due to the state of the economy many legislative bodies are looking at reorganizing departments and divisions and looking to USLA as an authoritative source of information. It is important that the information that we post on the website is accurate and up to date. The Executive Delegate Committee recommended in Williamsburg that salary information be a requirement for certification and the region would like this topic to be placed on the Certification Committee agenda. Dr. Victor Zavala-Hamz, PhD. President of the Asociacion Mexican de Salvavidas, A.C. (AMS), has asked that USLA and CSLSA direct all ideas and plans to assist lifesaving in Mexico through the AMS for coordination and consistency, and to avoid duplication of efforts. [2010_01_28_USLABOD_SouthwestActivity.PDF]

8. Contracted Staff Liaison Report – (Mr. Ed Zebrowski) Mr. Zebrowski requested that the report stand as submitted and added that he had received a written report from ISG. This report is an attachment of the Executive Committee action report. [2010_01_14_USLABOD_ContractedStaffActivity.PDF]

9. Committee Chair Activity Reports

9.1. Regular Committees

9.1.1. Certification (Mr. Tony Pryor) Mr. Pryor requested that his report stand as submitted. The Southwest Region requested that the committee discuss reporting of information on lifeguard salaries a condition of certification. [2010_01_37_USLABOD_CertificationActivity.PDF]

9.1.2. Competition (Mr. Ed Zebrowski) Mr. Zebrowski requested that his report stand as submitted.

[2010_01_34_USLABOD_CompetitionActivity.PDF]

9.1.3. Heroic Acts, Recognition, Awards and Presentations (Ms. Adrienne Groh). Ms. Groh thanked Mr. Richardson and Ms. Bowie for their assistance while she attended, and graduated from nursing school. [2010_01_35_USLABOD_HeroicActsActivity.PDF]

9.1.4. Junior Guards (Ms. Reenie Boyer) Ms. Boyer reported there were 8671 Junior Lifeguard members on the agenda. She stated that while her employment status has changed, her dedication to the USLA has not. The committee was to discuss one rule change proposal. [2010_01_36_USLABOD_JuniorGuardActivity.PDF]

9.1.5. Membership (Ms. Charlotte Graham) In addition to her written report, Ms. Graham reported that several people have been looking into website upgrades which will potentially result in an upgrade to the database. The barrel bag for membership was shown. There is a change in the actual membership number to 12,756. [2010_01_33_USLABOD_MembershipActivity.PDF]

9.1.6. Public Education (Ms. Denise Blair) Ms. Blair reported that the committee will hold the annual beach safety challenge. Submittals need to be to Ms. Blair by July 15th. 20,000 coloring books have been ordered and contain the updated safety tips. She has received a board game proposal from a company in Great Britain that the committee was to review. [2010_01_32_USLABOD_PublicEdActivity.PDF]

9.1.7. Ways and Means (Mr. Rob Williams) Mr. Williams discussed the annual audit and it is proceeding normally.[2010_01_38_USLABOD_WaysandMeansActivity.PDF]

9.2. Working Group Committees

9.2.1. Bylaws/Policies and Procedures (Mr. Chip More) Mr. More was unable to attend and had no report.

9.2.2. Equipment Research and Assessment (Mr. Dave Foxwell) Mr. Foxwell had no report but questioned if the “Whistles for Life” proposal was an endorsement since it has the USLA logo on it. Mr. Foxwell stated that he receives emails asking for product endorsement, but generally advised those requesting that the USLA does not endorse products, per se. Mr. Brewster requested that all emails of this nature be forwarded to the Contracted Staff Liaison, since there are alternatives that may be acceptable to both parties and may help generate revenue.

9.2.3. Grant Writing (Mr. James McCrady) Mr. McCrady had no written report, but has been working with Mr. More on some topics.

9.2.4. Lifesaver Education (Mr. Tim Gallagher) Mr. Gallagher reported that the committee would be developing the educational topics for the Fall Board of Directors meeting.

9.2.5. Magazine Publication (Mr. Mike Beuerlein for Mr. Mike Bartlett) Mr. Beuerlein highlighted that the regional oversight of articles appears to be going well. There was a record low of per issue cost of .42 due to reduced printing costs and non-profit mailing status. Total gross ad revenue was over $7000. Spring issue deadline for content was May 15th and printing and mailing deadline is June 15th. Mr. Beuerlein reported that Mr. Bartlett feels that if ALM went to an electronic version that advertisers would not be as apt to sign on. [2010_01_47_USLABOD_ALMActivity.PDF]

9.2.6. National Curriculum (Mr. Kim Tyson) Mr. Tyson was not present and his report will stand as submitted. [2010_01_42_USLABOD_CurriculumActivity.PDF]

9.2.7. Original Founders (Mr. Dave Shotwell) Mr. Shotwell had no report.

9.2.8. Public Information/Publicity (Mr. Tom Gill) Mr. Gill had no report.

9.2.9. Sign Standards (Mr. Ralph Goto) Mr. Goto stated that signs don’t replace lifeguards and signs don’t jump in the water to make rescues, but it is important to standardize our sign system nationally not just for liability issues but for a number of other issues. Mr. Goto asked everyone to look at the proposed rip current sign and that it conforms to ANSI warning sign standards and recommended that the USLA adopt this sign. [2010_01_51_USLABOD_SignStandardsActivity.PDF]

9.2.10. Statistics (Mr. Rick Gould) Mr. Brewster, in Mr. Gould's absence, noted the availability of a report on annual statistics from Mr. Gould, emphasizing the value of this information to the USLA and the continuing use of this material by the news media, researchers, and others. He read into the record a list of agencies which had not reported their statistics as required and these are included in Mr. Gould’s activity report. [2010_01_50_USLABOD_StatisticsActivity.PDF]

9.2.11. Website (Mr. Rob Williams) Mr. Williams reported that a task force has been working over the last six months looking at new options to revamp the website. YourMembership.com was selected. Were trying to get a site that will encompass everything such as membership and competition and have access for all committee chairpersons to update their pages. There are plans to have sub-sites for each chapter, connections to Face Book and the ability to send reminders for membership each year. [2010_01_48_USLABOD_WebsiteActivity.PDF]

10. President Brewster Presentation

11. Meeting recessed until 11:00 on Saturday, May 1, 2010

Friday, April 30, 2010 – Educational Conference

Lifeguard Agency Overview David Szpilman: Brazilian Lifesaving Overview Hurricane Ike Response & Roundtable Discussion Coastal COMS presentation Saturday, May 1, 2010 – Board of Directors 12. Call to Order - Mr. Brewster – Mr. Brewster highlighted key elements of,

“Robert’s Rules of Order." He noted that at the prior meeting, a motion was passed that conflicted with Robert's Rules of Order, but the Bylaws specifically require that the meeting be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order. He stated that as the Chair, he is obligated to follow the Bylaws, but would try to provide latitude, where necessary and appropriate.

13. Motion by Mr. Falconer that the Executive Committee not fill the vacancy of the Vice President position until the Fall 2010 Board of Directors meeting to allow candidates a chance to consider running for the position. Mr. Pryor moved to call the question. MPU. The original motion passed unanimously.

14. Committee Action Reports – Motions and voting limited to Officers and Regional Delegates.

14.1. Regular Committees 14.1.1. Executive Committee (Mr. B. Chris Brewster) In addition to the

following topics, a number of other items were discussed that cannot be included below. Readers are encouraged to read the entire Executive Committee Action Report. Mr. Brewster presented the following action and informational items that resulted from the Executive Committee:

14.1.1.1. Mr. Brewster reported that there were two sponsorship proposals; Whistles for Life and Opa Cove. Referred to ISG for further development.

14.1.1.2. The appropriateness of holding Executive Committee meetings during the Board of Directors meeting was questioned. This topic was referred to the Bylaws Committee.

14.1.1.3. The Executive Committee will request that the Bylaws Committee develop an amendment to Policies and Procedures VII-D, regarding Host Agreements, for review of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. Sample language has been offered. The intent is to ensure that prospective hosts approve the Host Agreement in advance

of their selection, so that no misunderstandings arise thereafter.

14.1.1.4. Proposed amendments for the Bylaws to accommodate requirements of US Olympic Committee membership were noticed by the Secretary under New Business.

14.1.1.5. The Executive Committee proposes to the Board of Directors to accept the host agreement as published to the Executive Committee for the 2010 National Lifeguard Championships.MPU.

14.1.1.6. The Executive Committee proposes to the Board of Directors to accept the proposed host agreement with Cape May for the 2011 National Lifeguard Championships. MPU [2010_01_13_USLABOD_ExecutiveCommitteeAction.PDF]

14.1.2. Certification (Mr. Tony Pryor) 14.1.2.1. Mr. Pryor reported that Ocean City NJ certification is still

pending. 14.1.2.2. The committee discussed better ways to get certifications

faster and easier. 14.1.2.3. The proposal to make it a condition of certification to post

salary information on the website was defeated by the committee.

14.1.2.4. Mr. Pryor read the list of agencies for approval of certification. See the action report for the complete list. MPU to accept all the agencies. [2010_01_37_USLABOD_CertificationAction.PDF]

14.1.3. Competition (Mr. Ed Zebrowski) 14.1.3.1. The committee discussed the Junior Guard age group

proposal and decided that this topic should be decided by the Membership or Bylaws Committees.

14.1.3.2. The new swimsuit requirements will be posted on the USLA website in the manual and Mr. Butki will insert all the different craft requirements.

14.1.3.3. Mr. Butki provided updates on several international competitions.

14.1.3.4. The 2012 National Championships were discussed with interest from both LACOLA and the Northwest Region.

14.1.3.5. The host agreement for the 2011 National Championships in Cape May has been signed.

14.1.3.6. Motion by the Southwest Region to set the fees for competition to $35 for pre-registration and $65 for late registration. Was approved when the host agreement was accepted.

14.1.3.7. The committee reconvened to discuss the dates of the 2010 National Competition and voted to approve the date of August 5, 6, 7 with 7 in favor and the Southwest abstaining.

At this point, Mr. Lumb from Huntington Beach was unsure if they would be able to host on the approved dates and any other agencies interested in hosting were asked to notify Mr. Zebrowski by May 15th with a deadline to sign a host agreement by May 31st.

14.1.4. Executive Delegate (Mr. Charlie Hartl) Mr. Hartl asked that any new patches for the agency patch quilt be sent to him. Discussion was held on continuing the salary page; updates to the database and thanks to Chris Graham for his hard work prior to Mr. Hartl.

14.1.5. Heroic Acts, Recognition, Awards and Presentations (Ms. Adrienne Groh)

14.1.5.1. Ms. Groh will make changes and updates to the application on the website.

14.1.5.2. Ms. Groh read the list of awards (14 with 7 being Medals of Valor) and all may be found in the attached committee report. MPU [2010_01_35_USLABOD_HeroicActsAction.PDF]

14.1.6. Junior Guards (Ms. Denise Blair for Ms. Reenie Boyer) 14.1.6.1. Ms. Blair announced the bumper sticker contest will

continue for 2010 and the winner for the 2009 contest is in the Junior membership kit. It was suggested to set the template and the rules on the website.

14.1.6.2. There were 3 proposals brought to the committee concerning eligibility. The committee will work with the USLA attorney on the JG rule wording. The committee chose Option #3 - to allow paid JG Assistants or JG Aids to compete in the AA division. Approved wording will be presented at the Fall meeting.

14.1.6.3. The Junior Guard logo is in the process of being trademarked.

14.1.6.4. Jo Wagenhals will be the new Junior Jam Editor. [2010_01_36_USLABOD_JuniorGuardAction.PDF]

14.1.7. Membership (Ms. Charlotte Graham) 14.1.7.1. The committee reviewed the membership kits for this year

and there were several cost sharing payments received from regions for the barrel bags.

14.1.7.2. Reviewed a new benefit for all USLA members from American Income Life to provide a $2000 accidental death and dismemberment benefit at no cost to our members as well as a health services discounts card at no cost and some other marketing assistance. The committee wants to maintain the integrity of the mailing list. Motion by the committee to accept the proposal pending the approval of the attorney. MPU.

14.1.7.3. The committee proposed a Bylaw amendment to Article V, Section 2-A regarding the definition of a Professional

Member. This proposal was noticed by the Secretary under New Business.

14.1.7.4. Ideas for next year’s kits were discussed, including towels. 14.1.7.5. The concept of dual membership was discussed and sent

back to the regions for further discussion in the Fall. [2010_01_33_USLABOD_MembershipAction.PDF]

14.1.8. Public Education (Ms. Denise Blair) 14.1.8.1. Explore creating a Facebook page for USLA pending

approval of legal counsel. The webmaster and the Committee Chair would have control over the content.

14.1.8.2. The “Beach Safety Challenge” was discussed and will continue in 2010. Please forward submissions to Ms. Blair by July 15th.

14.1.8.3. The committee requested that President Brewster sign the National Beach Safety Week proclamation.

14.1.8.4. Will purchase bookmarks with the revised safety tips and the winning Junior Guard artwork from the bumper sticker contest.

14.1.8.5. Bill Humphries will develop a template for a tri-fold brochure containing public education as well as general information on the USLA and distribute at the Fall meeting for review.

14.1.8.6. The committee has been approached by a company from Great Britain to develop a USLA version of Great Britain’s Lifeboat Game. The company would be responsible for obtaining sponsors, manufacturing, and marketing the games. This could be a possible revenue source. The committee is very excited about the game. We are asking each region to submit 25 questions for the game. A PDF file with the current questions will be mailed out. The Contracted Staff Liaison will have ISG contact Paul Watton regarding the financial aspects of the game.

14.1.8.7. Reviewed a DVD on skin cancer, “The Dark Side of the Sun”, that will be reviewed by the Medical Advisor. If approved, it could be available for possible free distribution.

14.1.8.8. Met with the Website Committee and expressed the need to have one section on the updated website that contains all public education information. [2010_01_32_USLABOD_PublicEdAction.PDF]

14.1.9. Ways and Means (Mr. Rob Williams) 14.1.9.1. The idea of emailing USLA members and notifying them of

the Combined Federal Campaign was supported by the committee.

14.1.9.2. The website agreement came in under budget and the additional money may be needed to pay Interfuse.

14.1.9.3. Recommendation from Mr. Lumb that beginning in 2011, $5000 in seed money be given to the host of the National Lifeguard Championships. This will be further discussed at the Fall meeting.

14.1.9.4. Motion from the committee to allow the Heroic Acts, Recognition, Awards and Presentations Committee to go over-budget due to the 7 Medals of Valor that were approved. MPU [2010_01_38_USLABOD_WaysAndMeansAction.PDF]

14.2. Working Group Committees

14.2.1. Bylaws/Policies and Procedures (Mr. Chip More) The committee did not have a report.

14.2.2. Equipment Research and Assessment (Mr. Dave Foxwell) The committee did not have a report.

14.2.3. Grant Writing (Mr. James McCrady) The committee did not have a report.

14.2.4. Liaison (Mr. Peter Davis) The committee did not have a report. 14.2.5. Lifesaver Education (Mr. Tim Gallagher)

14.2.5.1. The committee recognized the efforts of deceased Life Member Dr. Jim McCloy who was instrumental in hosting the first USLA Educational Conference in Galveston over 20 years ago.

14.2.5.2. The committee discussed topics for the Fall Board of Directors Meeting: Round table discussion on agencies’ public education programs; Coast Guard presentation on their Rescue Swimmer Program; Placement of lifeguard agencies in the Emergency Management System; Critical incident distress debriefing. [2010_01_53_USLABOD_EducationalOversightAction.PDF]

14.2.6. Magazine Publication (Mr. Mike Beuerlein for Mr. Mike Bartlett) The committee did not have a report.

14.2.7. National Curriculum (Mr. Kim Tyson) The committee did not have a report.

14.2.8. Original Founders (Mr. Dave Shotwell) Interested in enhancing the data on the website about Life Members and past presidents to make it more interesting to the younger members. Mr. Gavin has offered to record video of some oral history at each meeting.

14.2.9. Public Information/Publicity (Mr. Tom Gill) The committee did not have a report.

14.2.10. Sign Standards (Mr. Ralph Goto) Mr. Goto reported that the Sign Committee is withholding its motion to change the rip current signage in deference to our ongoing relationship with NOAA.

14.2.11. Website (Mr. Rob Williams) The committee will begin work on the new website and also fully supports the Public Education Committee in the Facebook endeavor.

15. Old Business (Officers and Regional Delegates) 15.1. Proposal from the Bylaw Committee “Shall the USLA Bylaw Article VIII-

Section 5 concerning suspension, expulsion or termination of members be modified as outlined in attachment 1?” MPU

15.2. “Shall the USLA Bylaw Article IX, Section 1, Subsection a, be amended to excise the words “twice” and “in the months of April” to have the effect that there be only one Board of Directors meeting a year in November?” Motion failed with 2 in favor and 29 opposed.

16. New Business (Officers and Regional Delegates) 16.1. Mr. Gallagher made a motion that the USLA supports voluntary

participation in the online rescue survey that Dr. Wernicki discussed in his activity report.MPU.

16.2. Proposed Bylaw change from the Membership Committee “Shall the USLA Bylaw Article V, Section 2-A concerning definition of a Professional Member be amended to state “To qualify as a Professional Member, an individual must: (1) Be a direct, active, seasonal or retired individual (delete employee), including a chief, director or equivalent, who has worked in the capacity as a lifeguard for an ocean, bay, lake, river or rescue service.”?”

16.3. Proposed Bylaw change concerning athlete amendments. Attachment 2. 17. Open Forum and Announcements (Any USLA member may raise issues.

Motions and votes limited to Regional Delegates) 17.1. Mr. Falconer thanked everyone for their kind words and thoughts for Joe

McManus. 17.2. Mr. Goto suggested term limits to bring in younger blood to the

organization. 18. Future Meetings 18.1. 2010 Fall: Northwest, November 4-6 – Portland, Oregon 18.2. 2011 Spring: South Atlantic, April 28-30

19. Privilege of the Chair (Mr. Brewster) Mr. Brewster expressed his appreciation for the way that items had been worked out professionally during the meeting such that the Board of Directors ran smoothly and efficiently.

20. Adjournment – Motion by Mr. Gill to adjourn, 2nd by Mr. Falconer. MPU.

ATTACHMENT 1 Section 5 – Suspension, Expulsion or Termination of Director(s) A. Power to Suspend, Expel or Terminate The Board of Directors shall have the power by three-fourths (3/4) of those Directors eligible to vote to suspend, expel or terminate any member of the Board of Directors for one or more of the following reasons: 1) Conduct that, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, disturbs the order, dignity, business or harmony of the Association; or, 2) Conduct that harms the good name, popularity and prosperity of the Association; or, 3) Conduct that endangers the welfare, interests or character of the Association; or, 4) Conduct in violation of the Bylaws and/or the policies and procedures of the Board of Directors. B. Action by Board of Directors to Suspend, Expel or Terminate Such action to suspend, expel or terminate may be addressed at a meeting of the Board of Directors upon the initiative of any Director. The Board of Directors may act with respect to the complaint of conduct only after the charged Director has been (1) notified, in writing, at least thirty (30) days in advance of the charges and proposed action, (2) given the date and time of the hearing, and (3) provided an opportunity to appear in person or through a representative before the Board of Directors. Section 6 – Suspension, Expulsion or Termination of USLA Member(s) A. Power to Suspend, Expel or Terminate The Board of Directors shall have the power by three-fourths (3/4) of those Directors eligible to vote to suspend, expel or terminate any member(s) of the United States Lifesaving Association Directors for one or more of the reasons defined in Section 5-A of this Article. B. Action by Board of Directors to Suspend, Expel or Terminate Such action to suspend, expel or terminate may be addressed at a meeting of the Board of Directors upon the initiative of any Director. The Board of Directors may act with respect to the complaint of conduct only after the charged member(s) has been: (1) notified, in writing, at least thirty (30) days in advance of the charges and proposed action, (2) given the date and time of the hearing, and (3) provided an opportunity to appear in person or through a representative before the Board of Directors

United States Lifesaving Association Bylaws Page 15 of 29

Amended and/or corrected 12/10/09

Section 4 – Officers of the United States Lifesaving Association

A. USLA Executive Board

The Executive Board of the USLA Board of Directors shall be comprised of the USLA President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Executive DelegateAthlete Representative, Past President/Advisor, and Liaison Officer.

B. Executive Committee

(1) Membership

In order to provide for important and necessary regional representation on all matters that pertain to the business, actions and practices of the Association, an Executive Committee shall be established. The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the USLA Executive Board as defined under Section 4 (A) of this article, and the USLA Regional Presidents or their appointed designees, and three Athlete Representatives.

.

(2) Authority of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall have the authority to act on behalf of the USLA Board of Directors between Board of Director’s meetings.

This authority shall exclude the power:

a) To adopt or amend the USLA or Regional Bylaws; or,

b) To modify or expunge specific actions of the Board of Directors; or,

c) To undertake any other action that has been denied the Executive Committee by the Board of Directors.

The Executive Committee shall secure Errors and Omissions/Fiduciary Liability coverage for the USLA Treasurer and any other USLA officer as deemed necessary and appropriate. (Amended November 7, 2009)

(3) Voting Privileges

Each member of the Executive Committee shall be entitled to one vote and have equal voting privileges on issues before the Committee.

(4) Executive Session

When in the best interests of the USLA any member of the Executive Committee or their designated representative, with agreement by the majority of the Executive Committee, may hold discussions in executive session on matters of immediate interest and importance. Executive session discussions shall be reported to the Board of Directors as soon as possible or as soon as such reporting can be accomplished without negatively impacting the best interests of the USLA. Only members of the Executive Committee or their designated representatives may attend executive session.

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ATTACHMENT 2



C. Election of Officers

(1) The USLA President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer and Executive Delegate shall be elected by a ballot of the USLA Board of Directors every second year in odd numbered years.

(2) Election shall be by secret ballot of each individual director and a simple majority vote will elect. All votes by proxy must meet the requirements of Article IX, Section 4.

(3) The Past President/Advisor position shall be filled by the immediate predecessor to the current President if the immediate Past President elects to serve. If the immediate Past President is unable or unwilling to serve, an Advisor shall be appointed by the President elect and confirmed by a simple majority vote of the USLA Board of Directors.

(4) The Liaison Officer shall be appointed by the President elect and confirmed by the Board of Directors. A majority vote is required to confirm the appointment.

D. Election of Athletes Representatives

(1) A total of four Athlete Representatives shall be elected in the same years as the Election of Officers.

(2) Election shall be by email ballot of qualified electors who have provided valid email addresses to the USLA and demonstrated their qualifications.

(3) Nominations for Athlete Representatives shall be open from August 15 in odd numbered years, through September 15, and elections of qualified nominees shall be open from October 1 until October 20. Any USLA member with voting privileges may nominate a qualified person to be an Athlete Representative, including, if qualified, themselves.

(4) To qualify to as an elector or as an Athlete Representative, a person must:

a) have participated as a member of the National Team representing the United States at the World Championships within the 10 years preceding the election; or,

b) represented the United States on an international team selected and sanctioned by the United States Lifesaving Association in a multi-national lifesaving competition; or,

c) have participated in no less than three National Lifesaving Championships sanctioned by the United States Lifesaving Association; and,

d) must be a current member of the United States Lifesaving Association with voting privileges.

(5) The qualified nominees with the highest numbers of votes shall be elected, with the following exceptions:

a) There shall be no more than one Athlete Representative from any USLA Region, so only the qualified nominee with the highest number of votes from any single USLA Region shall be elected.

b) There shall be no fewer than one male and one female among those elected, so if the highest number of votes received, after regional diversity is achieved as specified in the foregoing clause, are for members entirely of one gender, then the fourth Athlete Representative shall be the person of the opposite gender who received the highest number of votes among qualified nominees of that gender and who is from a Region that is not represented by the first three elected.

D.E. Appointment of the Legal Advisor, and Medical Advisor

The Legal Advisor and Medical Advisor shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Board of Directors. A majority vote is required to confirm the appointment.

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ATTACHMENT 2



E.F. Terms

(1) The term of office for the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Delegate, and Liaison Officer, and Athlete Representatives shall be for two years with no limit on the number of terms.

(2) The term of office for the Past President/Advisor shall be two years. If the President is reelected for successive terms the President elect may choose to retain the Past President/Advisor or appoint a director to fulfill the Past President/Advisor’s responsibilities. Said appointment must be confirmed by a simple majority of the Board of Directors.

(3) The term of service for the Legal Advisor and Medical Advisor shall correspond with the term of office of the President with continuing approval of the Board of Directors.

(4) A vacancy in office of an officer or appointee, excepting an Athlete Representative, shall be filled by the Executive Committee until the next meeting of the Board of Directors at which time an election will be held for the balance of the term. If an Athlete Representative is unable, unwilling, or unqualified to serve, then the next qualified person who would have been elected at the most recent election of Athlete Representatives will be offered the position, retaining the proscription on more than one representative per Region and requirement of no less than one representative of each gender, until a qualified person accepts the position.

F.G. Quorum

A majority of the Executive Committee members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

G.H. Duties of the Officers

(1) President – The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association and shall:

a) Preside at all meetings of the Members, Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

b) Have general charge of the business of the Association and execute, with the Secretary, in the name of the USLA, all deeds, bonds, contracts and other obligations and instruments authorized by the Board of Directors.

c) Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, appoint such standing or special committees and subcommittees as outlined in Article XI, Sections 2 and 3.

d) Prepare the official annual report to the Board of Directors on the activities and affairs of the USLA.

e) Prepare a written report on the state of the Association including all duties and activities of the President for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

f) Be the Second Delegate to the International Lifesaving Federation (ILS) unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.

g) Have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

(2) Vice President

a) The Vice President shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform all the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President.

b) The Vice President shall also have such other powers and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

c) Prepare a written report including all duties and activities of the Vice President for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

(3) Secretary

a) The Secretary shall keep a full and complete record of the proceedings of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and meetings of the Members; shall keep the seal of the Association (corporation) and affix same to such papers and instruments as may be required in the regular course of business; shall make and serve notices as may be




ATTACHMENT 2



necessary; shall retain a membership roll; shall distribute the minutes of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and meetings of Members within thirty (30) days; shall maintain an updated copy of the Bylaws and Policies and Procedures; shall determine a quorum and the number of votes needed to pass on any item; shall verify Directors in good standing and perform all other duties incidental to the office of the Secretary.

b) In the case of absence or disability of the Secretary, or refusal or neglect to act, notices may be given and served by the President or the Vice President, or by any other person authorized by the President, Vice President or Board of Directors.

c) The Secretary shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

(4) Treasurer

a) The Treasurer shall receive and safely keep all funds of the Association and deposit same in such bank or banks as may be authorized by the Board of Directors. USLA funds shall be disbursed only in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws and the rules established by the Board of Directors on checks of the Association, signed as directed by the Board of Directors.

b) The Treasurer shall control the keeping of the books and accounts of the Association and shall be responsible for the preparation of complete financial statements of the USLA. The financial statements shall consist of a balance sheet, income statement and other financial statements as may be required of this Association and shall be prepared annually or as otherwise directed by the Board of Directors. A record and accurate account of all receipts and disbursements shall be compiled by the Treasurer. All financial records shall be maintained on a calendar year January 1 to December 31. (Amended April 24, 2008)

c) The Treasurer shall prepare a written financial status report for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

d) The Treasurer shall cause the receipts and disbursements of the Association to be audited annually by a recognized firm of Certified Public Accountants authorized by the Executive Committee. A full written financial report shall be made annually at the spring meeting of the Board of Directors.

(5) Executive DelegateAthlete Representative

a) The Athlete Representative shall represent the interests of lifesaving athletes, as well as the general viability and vitality of the United States Lifesaving Association as a wholeExecutive Delegate shall investigate and attempt to resolve those issues that arise during the daily operations of the USLA.

b) The executive Delegate Athlete Representative shall prepare a written report including all duties and activities for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

(6) Past President/Advisor

a) The Past President/Advisor shall advise and assist the President in the administration of the Association.

b) The Past President/Advisor shall coordinate the activities of all committees as may be determined by the President.

c) The Past President/Advisor shall prepare a written report including all duties and activities for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

(7) Liaison Officer

a) The Liaison Officer shall maintain liaison and interface with all national and international organizations and shall be responsible for maintaining open lines of communication between the USLA and other national and international organizations.

b) The Liaison Officer shall coordinate all exchanges between agencies.

c) The Liaison Officer shall be the First Delegate to the International Lifesaving Federation unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.

Field Code Changed

ATTACHMENT 2



Article XI – Committees

Section 1 – Appointment

The President, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint such standing and special committees, as may be necessary to carry out the goals and objectives of the USLA. The Committees shall include members from all geographic regions, where applicable. The Competition Committee shall include one voting member from each USLA Region and a nonvoting chairperson, appointed by the President, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. The three Athlete Representatives who received the highest number of votes at the most recent election of Athlete Representatives shall also be voting members of the Competition Committee.

Section 2 – Standing Committees

The following shall be considered standing committees: Membership, Public Education, Certification and Ways and Means. No Standing Committee shall be chaired by the USLA President, Vice President or Secretary.

Section 3 – Special Committees

The following shall be considered special committees: Competition, Heroic Acts, Junior Lifeguard, Magazine Publication and Website.

Additional committees and professional advisory boards may be created by the President or Executive Committee with the approval of the Board of Directors.

No Special Committee shall be chaired by the USLA President, Vice President or Secretary.

Section 4 – Nomination’s Chairperson

A. Selection

At the Spring meeting of the Board of Directors, in each odd numbered year, the President shall appoint a Nominations Chairperson to solicit nominations for and interest in nationally elected and appointed officers.

B. Notification

The Nominations Chairperson shall notify the Secretary at least thirty (30) days prior to the election of candidates for national office. The Secretary shall include a copy thereof in a mailing to all Regional Boards of Directors, Directors and Officers. Said mailing may be accomplished by electronic means.

C. Additional Nominations

Any Director may make nominations from the floor at the time of the election.

ATTACHMENT 2

Page 1 of 3

United States Lifesaving Association President

Activity Report

Date: April 2010

Officer: President (B. Chris Brewster)

Introduction

I am pleased to provide an update on my work since the fall 2010 meeting in Williamsburg. Much of my work is routine, but daily, involving answering, and routing or handling inquiries; providing support to committee chairs, regions, and chapters; and representing the USLA publicly. In absence of an Executive Director, I try to perform the administrative functions that would otherwise be handled by that person. I have attempted here to address some highlights of specific items that may be of interest.

I would like to thank so many of you who have done so much work between the Board meetings. Clearly, the business of the USLA does not stop at the closing of each Board meeting. Without your diligence, the work of the USLA could not go on.

Activities and Accomplishments (Since Prior Board of Directors Meeting)

1. Special Projects 1.1. Intellectual Property: Worked with our attorney, Dickstein Shapiro, to address use of the term

American Lifeguard by another organization. This work is ongoing. 1.2. Educational DVDs: Made a presentation at the National Recreation and Parks Association’s

National Aquatic Conference in Houston to promote interest in these DVDs. Agencies are strongly encouraged to purchase these DVDs to support their training and the USLA’s development of training material.

1.3. NOAA Relations: Worked with National Weather Service officials to help them improve their rip current forecasting program.

1.4. Huntington Beach: Assisted the lifeguard association for the City of Huntington Beach with a review of materials related to budget cuts.

1.5. Rip Current Symposium: Attended this event in Miami, along with Mr. McManus and other members of the Southeast Region.

1.6. National Park Service Alliance: Coordinated a relationship with the National Park Service for review of the Web Ranger program, to provide feedback on water safety related aspects. Mr. Davis is taking the lead on this project, in collaboration with Ms. Blair and Ms. Boyer.

1.7. USLA Website: Collaborated with Rob Williams, Charlotte Graham, and Charlie Hartl with respect to a website update for the USLA, involving the comprehensive review of various alternatives and a memorandum (attached) discussing options.

2. General Business 2.1. USLA Logo: Worked with our attorney to renew the trademark registration for the USLA logo. 2.2. USLA Nationals 2010: Worked to support Mr. Zebrowski in his efforts to finalize the hosting of

the event. 2.3. USLA Nationals 2011: To avoid a conflict of interest which Mr. Zebrowski must avoid, I have

taken the lead in working out details of the 2011 agreement. It is hoped this will be finalized as soon as the 2010 agreement is finalized.

Page 2 of 3

2.4. USOC: In consultation with Mr. More, submitted a proposal, consistent with discussions at our November Board of Directors meeting, for review and feedback.

2.5. Certification: Worked to help Mr. Pryor in his new assignment. 2.6. Annual Report: Wrote and published on our website the 2009 Annual Report of the USLA. 2.7. Combined Federal Campaign: Assisted Mr. McManus in the prodigious work he accomplished

in submitting this application, for which he is due great thanks. 2.8. Boyer Retirement: Represented the USLA at the retirement ceremony of Reenie Boyer. 2.9. Tax Submission: Assisted Mr. Williams in his work to submit a thorough tax filing for 2009. 2.10. Children’s Book: Coordinated a review of a children’s book by Ms. Boyer and Ms. Blair for an

outside source seeking USLA endorsement. 3. Lifesaving Development

3.1. New England: Continued discussions with Mr. Shotwell, Mr. McManus, and the Cape Cod chapter regarding revival of a New England Region structure.

3.2. Panama City Beach: Worked with the Southeast Region President regarding this ongoing issue.

3.3. Mexico: In concert with Mr. Davis, worked to address issues related to conflicts regarding lifesaving assistance in Mexico and the Mexican Lifesaving Association.

4. Income and Sponsorship 4.1. Ford: Worked with Mr. Zebrowski to support the relationship with Ford Motor Company. 4.2. Ingram: Assisted Ingram with respect to some requests for support. 4.3. Hobie: Helped review a brochure mentioning the USLA. 4.4. Isaac: Worked with Mr. More and Mr. Zebrowski to finalize this contract. 4.5. AED: Referred an AED manufacturer to Mr. Zebrowski for review. 4.6. Opa Cove: Accepted and referred a sponsorship proposal (see attached) regarding child PFDs

to Mr. Zebrowski. 4.7. Whistles for Life: Accepted and referred a sponsorship proposal (see attached) regarding

whistles. 4.8. Board Game: Arranged for a review of a board game, by Ms. Blair, for an outside source

seeking to market a lifesaving themed board game. 5. International Relations

5.1. International Life Saving Federation: I continue to serve and to interrelate internationally in support of the ILS. My thanks to Peter Davis, Charlie Hartl, Dr. Wernicki, Reenie Boyer, and others for their work.

5.2. Americas Region Issues: Continued to collaborate with ILS Americas Region Secretary General, Peter Davis, on various lifesaving development issues within the Americas. Most recently, this has involved commissioning production of a training video in Spanish, funded by the ILS-AM.

5.3. Saxon Bird: Wrote a letter of condolence (attached) to Surf Life Saving Australia regarding the loss of a lifesaver in the national championships.

5.4. Brian Velvin: Wrote a letter of recommendation (attached) for a national (government) award for the former chairman of Surf Life Saving New Zealand.

6. External Communications 6.1. News Media: Responded to a variety of requests from news media. Most recently Aquatics

International and Men’s Health. 6.2. Anesthesiology: With Dr. Wernicki and Dr. Skip Culp, had a letter to the editor of this medical

journal published (attached).

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6.3. Natural Hazards: Wrote a letter to the editor of this international peer reviewed journal challenging an article on rip currents, based heavily on USLA statistics. This letter is approved for publication, but awaiting publication.

6.4. Letter to Aquatics International: Wrote an editorial reply (attached) to an article on rip currents which had previously been published and which appeared to have a number of misleading elements.

6.5. National Recreation and Parks Association: Made two presentations at the National Aquatics Conference in Houston, Texas – one on drowning worldwide and one on our National Lifeguard Agency Certification Program.

6.6. YMCA of the USLA and American Red Cross: Continued a dialogue among our three organizations, which involves regular communications and coordination on issues of mutual interest. This is a very strong working relationship which includes the ongoing work of the Lifeguard Standards Coalition.

Recommendations for Committee and/or Board Consideration

1. Please see Executive Committee Agenda.

Attachments

1. Letter to Anesthesiology 2. Letter from the National Park Service 3. Opa Cove Letter 4. Whistles for Life Letter 5. Brian Velvin Recommendation 6. Saxon Bird Condolence 7. Aquatics International Letter 8. Website Update Memorandum

CORRESPONDENCE Anesthesiology 2010; 112:245–55

Copyright © 2009, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Drowning: Lifeguard Rescueand Resuscitation

To the Editor:We applaud the recent article by Drs. Layon and Modell1 asa timely and thorough review of drowning, from epidemiol-ogy to treatment. In fact, the scope of the drowning problemmay be even larger than initially presented, with more than400,000 global drowning fatalities in the year 2000 as esti-mated by the World Health Organization.* We fully concurthat further research in the area of drowning treatment isneeded, but the greatest success with the least risk and mostpromise involves drowning prevention and rescue. This canbe achieved by teaching populations to swim and encourag-ing swimming in lifeguard-protected areas. Lifeguard ser-vices are often among the first cut by agencies attempting toreduce operating expenses, yet lifeguards offer “significanteconomic and social savings to society”2 because of their lowrelative expense and high success rate.

In 2008, lifeguards working for agencies reporting to theUnited States Lifesaving Association reported more than70,000 rescues from drowning at beach venues alone. Theyfurther reported more than 4.5 million preventive actions(such as moving swimmers away from rip currents or otherhazards), which helped avoid the need for rescue or medicaltreatment. United States Lifesaving Association statisticsconsistently show a relative chance of drowning death whilein a lifeguard-protected area of only 1 in 18 million visits.†Meanwhile, media reports of would-be citizen rescuers dyingin rescue efforts are common.

As the authors note, “patients who are awake and orientedupon arrival to the emergency department survive withoutneurologic sequelae if treatment of their pulmonary problemis successful,” but “the initial prehospital therapy clearlyaffects patient outcome.” They further note a very lowsuccess rate for those who arrive unconscious in the emer-gency department.

Although most rescues by lifeguards are routine, allowingthe victim to walk away, some result in the need for medicalassistance. Most lifeguards in the United States are trained inresuscitation. In some areas, this is basic, whereas in others,lifeguards are emergency medical technicians up to the para-medic level. Some lifeguard agencies struggle with providing

the most basic equipment, whereas others have positive end-expiratory pressure available, along with advanced airwaydevices.

The authors promote the value of immediate oxygen ther-apy in the field, but this is only available to some lifeguardagencies, many of which expend funds on Automatic Exter-nal Defibrillators, which the authors note are rarely of valuein drowning resuscitation. In addition to further research,the medical community should direct efforts toward pro-moting the provision of lifeguard protection and improvingfield resuscitation techniques, such as supporting advancedairway interventions, because drowning remains an acute re-spiratory insult. Positive patient outcome is more likely toresult from expeditious rescue and field resuscitation thantreatment in the emergency department or in the intensivecare unit days later.

Anesthesiologists, as experts in airway management andresuscitation, are uniquely positioned to aid in drowningtreatment. Over a decade ago, this author (W.C.C.) helpeddevelop an educational relationship with a university anes-thesiology department and a local lifeguard organization.‡This ultimately led to increased airway skills with lifeguardsupervisors and a protocol for tracheal intubation by selectedlifeguards with advanced medical training (paramedic orphysician). Ocean lifeguards can respond well before mostambulance services, but most have limited practice with ad-vanced airway training. This could serve as a great opportu-nity for anesthesiologists to teach the use of the bag-valvemask, oral and nasopharyngeal airways, and the laryngealmask airway, among other devices.

Drowning is a global problem that can be dramaticallyreduced by teaching people how to swim, by encouragingswimming in lifeguarded areas, and by improving field resus-citative techniques. Promoting attention to the entire con-tinuum of the drowning prevention spectrum will result inthe best possible outcome. We thank the authors for bringingthis topic to the readers’ attention.

William C. Culp, Jr., M.D.,§ B. Chris Brewster, B.S.,Peter Wernicki, M.D. §Scott & White Hospital, TheTexas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple,Texas. [email protected]

References

1. Layon AJ, Modell JH: Drowning: Update 2009. ANESTHESI-OLOGY 2009; 110:1390 – 401

2. Lifeguard Effectiveness: A Report of the Working Group.Edited by Branche CM, Stewart S. Atlanta, Centers forDisease Control and Prevention, National Center for InjuryPrevention and Control, 2001

(Accepted for publication September 15, 2009.)

* http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/publications/other_injury/en/drowning_factsheet.pdf. Accessed June 1, 2009.

† http://www.usla.org/Statistics/public.asp. Accessed June 1,2009.

‡ The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Depart-ment of Anesthesiology; Galveston County Sheriff DepartmentBeach Patrol.

Anesthesiology, V 112 • No 1 245 January 2010

President's Report April 2009 Attachment 1




United States Lifesaving Association

PO Box 366 Huntington Beach, California 92648 Tel: 866-FOR-USLA (866-367-8752)

www.usla.org B. Chris Brewster President Joe McManus Vice-President Nikki Bowie Secretary Rob Williams Treasurer Charles Hartl Executive Delegate Peter Davis Liaison Officer Tim Gallagher Advisor Dr. Peter W rnicki eMedical Advisor John “Chip” More Legal Advisor

22 March 2010 Graeme Cullen, Chairman Board of Directors Surf Life Saving New Zealand 3/33 Newton Street Mt. Maunganui 3116 New Zealand Dear Graeme, It is my understanding that my colleague in lifesaving, Brian Velvin, is being considered for a national honor in your civil list. Who better? I believe I first met Brian in 1996, when he attended a pivotal meeting of the International Life Saving Federation Board of Directors, on which I had served since the inaugural meeting the prior year. Over the years, I have had the pleasure of working with Brian in his many capacities, internationally, including as a fellow member of the ILS Board of Directors and as a key member of the ILS Sport Commission, as well as a referee. Brian is a fellow of the highest order, who I have found to be ethical, dedicated, gentlemanly, and extraordinarily pleasant. His contributions to international lifesaving and lifesaving sport have been extraordinary. He is an enormously positive representative of your country. I understand this honor is of a national sort, but from a global perspective, in my estimation, Brian has had a profound impact on the spirit and practice of lifesaving everywhere. Lifesaving Aye,

B. Chris Brewster President


http://www.usla.org/



www.usla.org B. Chris Brewster President Joe McManus Vice-President Nikki Bowie Secretary Rob Williams Treasurer Charles Hartl Executive Delegate Peter Davis Liaison Officer Tim Gallagher Advisor Dr. Peter W rnicki eMedical Advisor John “Chip” More Legal Advisor

March 19, 2010 Ron Rankin AM, President Surf Life Saving Australia Locked Bag 2 Bondi Beach, NSW, 2026 Australia Dear Ron, On behalf of the United States Lifesaving Association, allow me to express our most heartfelt condolences for the loss of surf lifesaver Saxon Bird of the Queenscliff SLSC. The entire global lifesaving community is surely tremendously saddened by this loss and those of us from the USA no less so. Kindly pass on to his parents and fellow lifesavers that each of us feels this loss, though we did not know him, and wish them the best in this tragic moment. When a lifesaver falls, we all lose a bit of ourselves. Our best wishes to the entire Surf Life Saving Australia family. Lifesaving Aye,

B. Chris Brewster President


http://www.usla.org/


UNITED STATES LIFESAVING ASSOCIATION M E M O R A N D U M

DATE: April 2, 2010 TO: Rob Williams, Treasurer Charlotte Graham, Membership Chair Charlie Hartl, Executive Delegate FROM: B. Chris Brewster SUBJ: USLA Website Upgrade Options This memorandum is intended to provide some options for consideration in upgrading the USLA’s website. It is based on input from each of you, a review of various articles, participation in three webinars, a review of the websites of the companies, and extensive follow-up with three companies. BACKGROUND Many years ago, the Board of Directors agreed to allow me to create a website for the USLA. It was one of the first websites for associations and seemingly appreciated by our members. It was custom designed, which allowed us to be very specific in the design, but which also required (and requires) a fee for any changes. That website is now understandably considered archaic in web terms, especially for an association wishing to encourage membership and participation by members. The fee based change model also discourages regular updating, and we are of course constrained by any limits on the expertise of our provider. Compared to other organizations, aspects of member relations, in particular, seem to be holding us back from meeting our full potential. However, our funds and resources are limited in designing a new, custom site. In doing the background work for this memorandum, I began with the following basic assumptions.

Goals

1) Maintain the current offerings on our website, but upgrade the look and feel. 2) Allow the website to be regularly updated inexpensively or free, ideally by a non-

technical volunteer or volunteers (including the Secretary and various committee chairs). 3) Allow integration of membership sign-up and access, so that members can sign-up

online, update their profiles online, be electronically reminded when membership is to expire, and have access to password protected areas as a member.

4) Integrate our member database and collect demographic information that can be used in sponsorship pitches.

5) Allow for event registration (versus scoring), which could include meetings and seminars, for example.


I have included some more detailed desired features in Attachment 1, based on your collaborative input. It seems clear that there are two primary options in proceeding. One is to contract with a company to create a new custom website. This is what we did initially and we remain with the original contractor. This approach was trendsetting at the beginning, but our website is now dated. We could clearly select a new contractor. However, using this approach would likely mean that we would pay for each new feature we might like or adjustments thereto, even though many of the features we would want are common to many other associations. The second option is to go with a provider of association management software and services that would offer most of what we desire at a pre-determined cost, allowing us to handle most of the updates ourselves, accepting that some features we desire may simply be unavailable. The relative benefits of custom versus off-the-shelf can be found through this hyperlink, if you are reading this memorandum electronically, or on the website of www.internet4associations.com. Please recognize that this is a biased presentation from one of the evaluated companies. A third option is a blend of the above. In that option, we would use an off-the-shelf system, but continue to use customized approaches for specific needs that the system cannot handle. The advantage here would be less cost, overall, but leaves the door open for customizing in cases that the overall system doesn’t meet each of our needs. An example of this might be our agency statistics, which may be too complex and customized for a standardized system. There are a number of options available. Two articles proved particularly helpful to my review:

http://www.idealware.org/articles/fgt_ams.php http://www.idealware.org/articles/low_cost_integrated.php

Some of the options noted in the aforementioned articles are aimed at specific groups with a focus inconsistent with ours. For example, Democracy in Action (democracyinaction.org) is targeted at advocacy groups, so its features are skewed in that direction. Another example is Network for Good's Donor Management Suite (groundspring.org/services/dms.cfm), which is aimed at donor management. EVALUATION PROCESS In total, I reviewed 18 options. Once I narrowed the focus to five of these sites, I participated in three interactive webinars, ranging in length from 1 – 1½ hours. Since each offers a wide range of features, which are difficult to compare directly, I assembled a table of the major features, and sent these tables to each of three of the companies. I asked each one to fill them out and return them, which they did. That comparison of costs and features can be found in Attachment 2. This is probably the most useful part of this memorandum. It is important to note that the systems outlined in these articles and referenced in this memorandum are primarily association management solutions. They are not primarily aimed at

2


http://www.internet4associations.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3315

http://www.internet4associations.com/

http://www.idealware.org/articles/fgt_ams.php

http://www.idealware.org/articles/low_cost_integrated.php

website hosting, although those I have called out below allow for building web pages. Since we are an association of members and want to try to serve, manage, and increase membership, as well as encourage donations, this aspect is potentially enormously valuable. Some associations would use these features and have their own separate websites, to which these features would be a “plug-in.” However, the options highlighted in this memorandum allow us to both host our website and offer integrated member/donor relationships. Each option offers standard templates or allows us to design a custom look and feel. Each of these systems involves a fully integrated database. A member can sign-up, pay online, make changes to member data as appropriate (e.g. address), renew, etc. We can send reminders for membership sign-up, override the system to sign up members, etc. In some cases, described later, memberships can be set up to automatically remind members or even automatically renew members. This could greatly ease the burden and reliance on chapters for recruiting and encouraging members to renew, as the system could automatically perform some or all of this. Depending on how we proceed, we could decide to eliminate the current fixed membership year concept and simply make people a member for 12 months (maybe with a grace period), from the time of payment. (This would require a change in our membership card printing.) In this case, the member would then control the membership year, as is typical for many associations. Each system allows for the creation of custom forms to allow for event sign-up. In the simplest example, Board of Directors meeting forms could easily be created to allow individuals interested to sign up and pay online for various options (e.g. meals), to pay only for the educational conference, etc. Also, we can require, if we wish, that people be members to do this. In a more complex example, we can arrange registration for the Nationals, requiring people to first log-in, thus demonstrating that they are a member before signing up, and also that they are an appropriate class of member to participate. This signup database can be exported to the scoring system we already own. An added bonus is that the regions could use the system for their event sign-ups (competition and meetings/seminars) and that would have no additional cost. Each option allows us to create pages at will and at no additional cost, in a fairly simplified what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) process. This would allow, for example, the Public Education Committee to add or modify pages as desired, subject to approval of the administrator. Some providers allow levels of access, which restrict certain pages to members at certain levels. For example, we could create forums, but decide that only professional members and alumni members can post messages on the forums. (We could also have pages that only members of the Board of Directors could see, to upload materials or share information via blogs.) This has the potential of creating member value, by allowing only USLA members to view certain pages and information. An example might be the current Job Bulletin Board, where we could require, at minimum, Associate Member level (open to anyone), to view the BB, or even a website access fee. This would force non-members to pay a fee to read job offerings. These sites can be used for ecommerce, allowing us to sell items from the site. This feature may or many not be desirable, but several of the offerings allow the collection of sales tax, shipping, etc. In any case, this feature would be good for event sign-ups, as previously explained.

3


All of the options allow for some form of email blasts to members, in some cases standard newsletters and the like. It appears that they can be targeted, for example, to professional members only, juniors only, or to a given chapter only. Some options include the possibility of subgroups. This could allow, for example, all the members of Chapter X to all see each other (their fellow members) and to see information on what is going on. The chapter leader, in the case of one provider, could upload information about upcoming events. This could allow creation of de facto mini-websites by chapters without them, again creating member (and chapter) value, and helping chapters in their recruiting. RECOMMENDATIONS The top five options for us appeared to me to be the following:

Wild Apricot – Cost: $2,160/yr. Comments: This is perhaps the cheapest, simplest, and easiest to use of all the solutions. However, it is aimed at somewhat smaller organizations and has a database limit of 15,000. (They advise that you can go beyond the limit, but the database will slow down.) Its blast email capabilities appear to be limited and it is a bit unclear how chapters would interrelate. Its website content management tool is strong. Internet4Associations – Cost $4,435/yr. Comments: This is a much more robust system, able to handle a larger database, and includes a variety of additional, valuable options. A concern about this one is the add-on costs for support and assistance. A value of this one is the ability to integrate our existing, highly valued, statistics page, for a set-up fee. Z2 Neon – Cost $4,788/yr. Comments: This system appears to be much more customize-able, but a somewhat more wonky interface. It appears to me that we get more flexibility, at the price of a bit more complication. I may have been tired of webinars when I got to this one, but I found it a bit confusing. Your Membership – Cost $5,995/yr. Comments: While seemingly more expensive, many features that have a cost in the two prior examples are included here. This has a very intuitive approach. A particular strength is the interrelationships of the members it allows, including unlimited local chapter mini websites and monitoring, as well as connections to Facebook and Linked-in. A downside is that they do not seem to be able to have any way to recreate our statistics page, so we would need to arrange a custom solution at a cost. A resource list, including a recorded webinar can be found here: http://www.yourmembership.com/resources/ Affiniscape – Cost $9,500/yr plus, setup fee $7,000 (est.) This is a more customized solution that would avoid some of the off-the-shelf limitations. It is unclear from their website what they might charge for the features we desire and it seemed out of our price-range, so I have only included it as a possibility in case the preceding seem too limiting.

My opinion is that any of these would represent a substantial improvement to our present site and that we should move forward expeditiously. Each of them does offer some method whereby we

4


http://www.wildapricot.com/


http://www.z2systems.com/

http://www.yourmembership.com/

http://www.yourmembership.com/resources/

http://www.affiniscape.com/index.cfm

could pay a fee for a transfer from our existing site, which we might well wish to consider, as we have only so much time. Alternatively, one or more of us could do the work at no cost. After that transfer, we should be able to do most of the work ourselves, but we will need to candidly evaluate who will have the time and skills to oversee this. We would probably wish to start with limited access, then figure out how to allow further access. I realize that these costs may seem high to some, however, I have a feeling that this approach could substantially improve our membership numbers. We would not need to rely anywhere near as much on local chapter recruiting, which would lessen the burden on chapters and likely increase member sign-up and retention, perhaps even after lifeguards move on to other professions (i.e. become lifeguard alumni). The creation of password protected areas on the site, restricted to members, could encourage membership. Offering local chapter sites, or at least the ability to see others who are in your chapter, could increase interest. Annual reminders, similar to other membership organizations, would target members individually and remind them to renew. Our administrative headaches would decline substantially, since most members would enter and update their own data. Overall, we would likely be perceived as a much more professional membership organization. The features in some of these programs, if we had them custom designed, would cost far more. Each system mentioned that as they add features, they typically include them at no additional cost. Z2Neon, for example, said that if a customer asks for a custom application, they are charged for it, but if it looks like it would have broad appeal, they then offer it to everyone as an added feature at no cost. I propose that you review this memorandum and attachments, particularly Attachment II. (Please pay close attention to the footnotes, as they clarify a number of issues.) I suggest that we then consider jointly participating in webinars for all three, or at least the top two. My perception of them and yours may well be different. Each webinar is one hour long and would allow us to jointly review all this information and collaboratively ask questions. Obviously I have participated in webinars for all three, and Charlie in one, but I think it is worth the time for me to hear them again. In the case of Your Membership, there is a recorded webinar you can review at your leisure, which is noted in the overview of that company on a prior page of this memorandum. You could review that at your leisure and we could later get on a webinar with them for questions only. I’d recommend going through that one anyway, as an example of what is offered. Attachment I USLA Website – Current Features to Retain Attachment II USLA Website Options Comparison Attachment III Yourmembership.com brochure Attachment IV Internet4Associations brochure Attachment V Z2Neon brochure

5


1

Attachment I USLA Website – Current Features to Retain

Sponsor recognition (logo and link) Home page with links to key items Donation page (mail-in check system) Membership sign-up process for all membership levels Various information pages (e.g. International Life Saving Federation information) National structure page with map, geographic boundaries, and links to regional officers-needs

update List of officers and special assignments with email links (needs update) Lifeguard agency database Document upload areas for key documents (e.g. Bylaws and Lifeguard Library) Statistics – Interactive database for uploading by agencies and public viewing Bulletin Boards Public Education home page, including educational quizzes for kids Video uploads (publics service announcements) Lifeguard salary interactive database Store American Lifeguard Magazine database Hidden site for distribution of Board meeting materials to Board members Hidden site for distribution of Certification materials Certified agency list Email aliases for officers (needs update)

USLA Website – New Features Desired

Enhanced, updated home page, including current events Easy modification and addition of pages at no cost by key USLA officials (e.g. committee chairs) Bulletin boards restricted to use by USLA members (site login compared to USLA membership) Certified agency database, with contacts Corporate membership sign-up Donation page (via credit card or mail-in check) Member database Member sign-in for view of certain pages Membership reminders and sign-up (annual) Agency database – enhanced (being developed by Charlie) NOTE: Should be relational, so that

changes in one area are updated in others. Enhanced sponsor recognition opportunities Regional sub-sites controlled by regions Chapter sub-sites that can be restricted to members thereof, to encourage membership Event sign-up (nationals, maybe regionals) Photo Gallery – Updated Live Surf Links Competition Results – Archive Competition Database


Attachment 2 Website Provider Comparisons

Your

Membership .com

Internet 4

Associations

Z2 Neon Feature

$5,995 $4,435 $5,3881 COST ANNUAL Possibly $02 $175/hr3 $5,2494 COST FOR INITIAL SETUP (not website design) None None None COST TO DESIGN WEBSITE USING STANDARD TEMPLATES Consultant5 $175/hr $6,7496 COST FOR CUSTOM DESIGN AND SETUP Included $175/hr7 Included8 SUPPORT Included $175/hr9 Included10 TRAINING None 200MB11 60GB12 WEBSITE SIZE LIMIT None None None WEBSITE PAGE LIMIT None 5 None13 LIMIT ON NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS WEBSITE BUILDER Yes Yes Yes Can use as main website Yes Yes Yes Can have unlimited pages on website Yes Yes Yes Fully integrated website content manager Yes Yes Yes What you see is what you get WYSIWYG Yes No No14 Standard site design included in cost Yes Yes15 Sort of16 Standard website design templates (free) Yes Yes Yes Custom website designs (for a fee) Yes Yes Sort of17 Search engine optimization Yes Yes Yes Can use own web address (www.usla.org) Yes Yes Yes Manual control over site metatags Yes Yes Yes Can include sponsor advertising No Yes18 Yes19 Can create custom database (e.g.

http://www.usla.org/Statistics/public.asp) 1 This is the cost for 15k-25k people in the NEON database & Our Basic Web Hosting Package with CMS 2 Standard price is $1,495. Sometime after participating in a webinar, they offered Charlie Hartl a fee waiver, perhaps not understanding the connection with USLA 3 Support for initial set-up is free for 60 days with a three year commitment. 4 NEON & OpenCMS using our Import Template for data import 5 They recommend some outside services to handle and provided no quote 6 With Member Pages Viewable by Type of Member & Adding Authorize.net CC Vendor 7 Support contract recommended, which provides 2 hrs per month at $150 and $135 after. 8 Web Support Center, Recorded Training, Help Videos, Setup & User Guides are included. 9 Four hours free with three year commitment. $135/hr with support contract. 10 “Live” Personal 4-5 hour Web Training is included 11 Additional storage is billable at .20/MB/Month. 12 Additional for $2/GB 13 Five free. Unlimited for $20 each. 14 We upload your templates and give you control to easily build out your website using them. For $5,000 we can also offer full original web design. 15 Some basic ones for free or custom for a fee, see: http://design.internet4associations.com/ 16 We upload your templates and give you control to easily build out your website using them. For $5,000 we can also offer full original web design. 17 We offer basic recommendations for SEO and the CMS helps promote good SEO 18 Three year commitment includes four hours of graphic design integration. Additional hours billable by the hour. 19 This would use our NEON database which has many customizable features

1


http://design.internet4associations.com/

FORMS Yes Yes Yes Can create customized, dynamic forms Yes Yes Yes Secure forms for ecommerce Yes Yes Yes Can include waivers (liability) in forms MEMBERSHIP DATABASE Yes Yes Yes Direct member controlled application and data entry Yes Yes Yes Member controlled data updates Yes Yes Yes Administrator controlled data updates and renewals Yes Yes Yes Can manually or automatically approve a member Yes Yes Yes Unlimited membership categories Yes20 No21 Yes Automatic deduction option (e.g. monthly, yearly) Yes Yes Yes Searchable member database Yes Yes Yes Can have organization (e.g. corporate) members No22 Yes Yes23 Member change history Yes Yes Yes Unlimited demographic fields for members Yes Yes Yes Financial transaction history by member No24 Yes Yes25 Can batch deposit checks Yes No Yes Facebook, Linked-In, etc. links Yes No No Member can create buddy list PASSWORD PROTECTED AREAS Yes Yes Yes Secure (password) member areas Yes Yes $1,20026 Multiple level access for member categories ECOMMERCE Yes Yes Yes Online store option with custom forms Yes Yes Yes Can sell PDF documents Yes Yes No Shipping rate calculator Yes Yes Yes Sales tax calculation option Yes Yes Yes Credit card payment See note27 See note28 See note29 Credit card transaction cost No30 No Maybe31 Can use own credit card processor Developing32 No Yes E-check payment EVENT REGISTRATION Yes Yes Yes Conference/event registration Yes Yes Yes Pre-populated event registration

20 Requires that we use Bluepay for credit card processing. Also two reminders prior to membership expiration 21 Can send automatic reminders 22 No - however admin email alerts can contain change history 23 You can see a list of changes made by each staff member, and "created by" and "last updated" will show on the record 24 No, however can record check deposits in batches via the API 25 We have a "batch" entry screen for keying in multiple check transactions and attaching them to the right records 26 This would cost $1,200 to customize and add to NEON 27 None from YourMembership, but BluePay is the credit card processor and must pay their fee 28 Must use Payflow Pro or Authorize.net at their rates. No additional fee. 29 See Authorize.net 30 Yes, for manual processing, but only BluePay for real-time processing 31 If they are compatible with Authorize.net we can connect for $300 32 No, but this is currently in development

2


3

Yes Yes Yes Unlimited fields for event forms (e.g. meals) Sort of33 Yes Yes Fields can add to cost (e.g. multiple options for final price) Yes Yes Yes34 Variable fields for event levels (e.g. member discount) Yes Yes Yes Printer friendly receipts for registrants MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS Yes Yes Yes Email blasts to members Yes Yes Yes Newsletters, with standard formats ACCOUNTING Yes Yes Yes Accounts receivable and transaction records Yes35 QuickBooks Not yet36 Download to accounting package DONATIONS Yes Partially37 Yes Donation collection and reminders Monthly38 No Yes Automatic donation deductions (i.e. annual or monthly) FORUMS Yes Yes Yes Unlimited forum creation Yes Yes Yes39 Forums open to registered members Yes40 Yes As above Forums viewable to unregistered members FILE POSTING Yes Yes Yes File upload and posting 15MB No Fee41 File size limit SUBGROUPS Yes No42 Fee43 Can have interactive local chapter membership pages Yes Yes Sort of44 Can have infinite subgroups Yes Yes No Can assign administrator to subgroups Yes Yes No Subgroup admin can message group members MISCELLANEOUS Yes Yes45 Yes Can have fee based job posting site Yes Yes Yes Can have news sites with RSS feeds Yes Yes Yes Can do surveys and quizzes 33 Multiple ticket options are available, but not based on answers submitted within the form 34 Not only different ticket prices, but members can be granted automatic discounts 35 Export in csv now, and QuickBooks is coming soon 36 QuickBooks export due in Q4 37 Reminders are manual (generated by administrator) 38 No annual renewal process, per se 39 The forum can be made public, or hidden behind a login, or hidden behind a member login, but it would be the same set of forums where ever it is put 40 Read only 41 You can purchase different packages for overall storage size. Starts at $20 for 1GB 42 Can have local chapter member pages, but not interactive. 43 We would have to give a quote for creating web pages only accessible by members from certain areas, unless this fit into the customization for member pages only viewable by certain member types. There would be an additional fee to have a different web template for the areas. 44 You can group people in unlimited ways, but all staff logged in would be able to see them equally 45 If a paid, log-in service, then $850/yr


Page 1 of 1


Vice-President

Activity Report

Date: April 29, 2010

Officer: Joe McManus

Introduction

Thanks to the Gulf Coast Region and Galveston Lifesaving for hosting the meeting.


1. I worked with President Brewster and Treasurer Williams to complete the Combined FederalCampaign (CFC) application for 2010.

2. I am currently pursuing the enactment of “National Lifeguard Appreciation Day” through Senator BillNelson of Florida.

3. I am currently working with President Zebrowski to help reorganize the New York City Chapter ofUSLA, as per the request of local lifeguards there.

4. I attended an International Rip Current Symposium in Miami this past February. I had anopportunity to meet Peter George (SLSA) and Erik Bech (DL) for an exchange of ideas.


1. I recommend that the Ways & Means Committee request funding from the board for a campaign tosolicit donations for the USLA Foundation. This might include a solicitation letter targeting bothcurrent and former USLA members. Perhaps a SASE inserted into ALM would jump startcontributions with minimal cost to the treasury. I volunteer to oversee this project.

2. I suggest that a section of the new usla.org website contain information regarding USLA’s charitablegroup member status with the CFC, so professional lifeguards, whose employers participate in thecampaign, can be informed of their option to donate directly to USLA through payroll deduction. Ialso suggest the USLA Foundation be given prominent space on the new website.

Attachments

1. Letter to Senator Bill Nelson regarding National Lifeguard Appreciation Day.

March 15, 2010

Senator Bill Nelson716 Hart Senate Office BuildingWashington DC 20510

Dear Senator Nelson,

The United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) is America’s non-profit, professionalassociation of beach lifeguards and open water rescuers. USLA works to reduce theincidence of death and injury in the aquatic environment through public education,national lifeguard standards, training programs, promotion of high levels of lifeguardreadiness, and other means.

Each year America’s lifeguards stand ready to protect those who visit our nation’sbeautiful beaches. Lifeguards annually perform millions of actions that prevent seriousinjury and rescue hundreds of thousands of beach visitors caught in life threatening ripcurrents.

In the interest of promoting public awareness of the vital role lifeguards play in keepingour nation’s beaches and beachgoers safe, and in order to recognize the often heroicefforts of American lifeguards, I ask you to join the educational efforts of the UnitedStates Lifesaving Association by sponsoring:

NATIONAL LIFEGUARD APPRECIATION DAY

The recent heroic efforts of Martin County lifeguard Dan Lund offers just one exampleof the dedication to lifesaving that resides in each and every lifeguard.

USLA can supply the statistical justification for this recognition. Please contact me atyour earliest convenience so we can work together to officially appreciate the work ofour heroic lifesavers. Lifeguards for life!

In lifesaving,

Vice-president, USLA772 240 0310



www.usla.org

B. Chris BrewsterPresident

Joe McManusVice-President

Nikki BowieSecretary

Rob WilliamsTreasurer

Charles HartlExecutive Delegate

Peter DavisLiaison Officer

Tim GallagherAdvisor

Dr. Peter WernickiMedical Advisor

John “Chip” MoreLegal Advisor

Page 1 of 1


Secretary

Activity Report


Officer: Nikki Bowie

Introduction

I would like to thank everyone for the opportunity to continue to serve the USLA and its members as the Secretary. With the elections came some new officers and I am very excited to work everyone as I believe we have an incredible team of volunteers, without whom the USLA would not function as well as it does. As you can see below, it has been a fairly quiet six months for me as secretary. I continue to be available to help any committee or officer as needed. Thanks and I am looking forward to a productive meeting in Galveston.


1. Produced the meeting minutes from the Fall Board of Directors meeting in Williamsburg.

2. Produced “Thank You” letters for donations to the USLF and USLA.


1. At the Fall Meeting I asked that each committee chair advise me of any specific action in their reports that may result in a Policies and Procedure change. This is just a friendly reminder so that we can avoid having to go back through past meetings to update the Policies and Procedures as I can do a review after each meeting.

Page 1 of 8


Treasurer Report

Activity Report


Officer: Rob Williams

Introduction

I am very excited to return to Galveston for this Board of Directors Meeting. I believe much will be accomplished and nothing will be superfluous.


1. The USLA Budget continues to strive. We have fallen below expectations in some areas. However, we continue to be fiscally sound and increase our reserves.

2. A Bank of America Maximizer Account was opened recently to try to find the best interest rates for our reserves. Money has been transferred from Fidelity to BofA for better rates.

3. A Paypal account was opened to receive funds from Uniserv Incorporated, which uses Paypal to collect monies on the USLA’s behalf from DVD and merchandise sales.

4. 2009 Budget Clarifications/Area of Notes – The below notes are formulated from the current 2009 Budget year.

4.1. Income

4.1.1. ALM Revenue – Above Expectations for this line item. Thanks to the ALM Editor for his efforts in advertising.

4.1.2. Certification – Above Expectations generated from raise in Certification Fees.

4.1.3. Competition Income – Received a large Sponsorship from Ford ($26,303.23) for National Games and Referee Uniforms.

4.1.4. Consultation Fees – Received Money for consultation work completed by USLA Delegate.

4.1.5. Interest – Fell well below expectations due to struggling economy and interest rates.

4.1.6. Membership Dues – Professional Memberships were in line with expectations. However, Junior Lifeguards fell below expectations since a check was not received until January, 2010.

4.1.7. Miscellaneous Income – Received reimbursement monies from a trademark application that was never filed.

4.2. Expenses

4.2.1. ALM Expenses – Costs were significantly lower than previous years due to switching printing vendors and mailing costs. This enabled us to lower the 2010 budget line item.

4.2.2. Competition – Monies received from Ford were paid out to the host for expenses incurred.

4.2.3. Consultation Expenses – Fees approved by BOD for expenses incurred by a delegate for a consultation.

4.2.4. Educational DVD – Expenses incurred for initial setup of DVD production and sales. Received monies from 2009 sales in 2010 budget year.

4.2.5. Marketing Agent - $20,000 was put into restriction for anticipated signing of contract.

4.2.6. Regions % of Member Dues – Came in below expectations because of Jr. Lifeguard Membership check received in 2010 budget year.

Page 2 of 8

5. 2010 Budget Clarifications/Area of Notes – The below notes are formulated from the current 2010 Budget year.

5.1. Income

5.1.1. ALM Revenue – We are collecting ad revenue from the most recent issue published. The ALM Editor is also working with some advertisers on some back issues ad money owed.

5.1.2. Donations – We have received $1,075 for the Public Education Coloring Book Project.

5.1.3. Membership Dues – $28,170 Junior Lifeguard Membership for the 2009 – 2010 Membership year was received in January. This should increase the income from this line item.

5.1.4. Royalties - $3,072 was received from Uniserv Incorporated, through Paypal, for our “Royalty” on the Educational DVD produced and now being sold.

5.1.5. Sponsorship – We have received monies from Zubrella, Eyeking (Hobie) and Finis.

5.2. Expenses

5.2.1. ALM Expenses – Current issue mailing costs have been paid. Printing and setup costs to follow.

5.2.2. Competition - $14,000 Annual Allocation for National Team Travel was allocated on March 31, 2010.

5.2.3. Donation – Money was moved into the Mexican Lifesaving Fund for the portion of the interest earned in 2009.

5.2.4. International Relations – ILS Annual Dues paid - $2,663.12 includes wire charges.


1. Advise Board and Ways & Means Committee of any action items received.

Attachments

1. 2009 Year End Balance Sheet

2. 2009 Profit & Loss Budget

3. 2010 Balance Sheet – March 31, 2010

4. 2010 Profit & Loss Budget – April 7, 2010

5. 2009 Competition Liability Report

6. 2010 Competition Liability Report

7. 2009 Mexican Lifesaving Fund Liability Report

8. 2010 Mexican Lifesaving Fund Liability Report

Page 3 of 8


Balance Sheet As of December 31, 2009

Dec 31, 09

ASSETS

Current Assets

Checking/Savings

Bank of America

Bank of America Checking 17,917.79

Bank of America Maximizer 170,188.20

Total Bank of America 188,105.99

Fidelity Investments 30,367.93

Paypal 0.99

Total Checking/Savings 218,474.91

Total Current Assets 218,474.91

TOTAL ASSETS 218,474.91

LIABILITIES & EQUITY

Liabilities

Long Term Liabilities

Competition - National Team 9,792.53

Marketing Agent Restriction 20,000.00

Mexican Lifesaving Fund 28,233.09

Total Long Term Liabilities 58,025.62

Total Liabilities 58,025.62

Equity

Unrestricted Net Assets 138,488.76

Net Income 21,960.53

Total Equity 160,449.29

TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY 218,474.91

Page 4 of 8


Profit & Loss Budget vs. Actual January through December 2009

Jan - Dec 09

Budget

$ Over Budget

Income

ALM Revenue 18,889.00 16,000.00 2,889.00

Awards/Presentations Income 0.00 50.00 (50.00)

Certification Fees 11,900.00 10,000.00 1,900.00

Competition Income 60,647.42 40,500.00 20,147.42

Consultation Fees 3,000.00

Donations 2,377.91 5,000.00 (2,622.09)

Interest 961.96 2,500.00 (1,538.04)

Membership Dues 133,359.00 167,500.00 (34,141.00)

Miscellaneous Income 1,085.13

Royalties 3,419.93 4,550.00 (1,130.07)

Sponsorship 15,351.07 16,000.00 (648.93)

Total Income 250,991.42 262,100.00 (11,108.58)

Expense

American Lifeguard Magazine 40,080.83 60,000.00 (19,919.17)

Awards & Special Presentations 1,312.53 1,000.00 312.53

Certification Administration 4,384.03 4,000.00 384.03

Competition 61,578.76 42,500.00 19,078.76

Consultation Expenses 1,000.00

Database 0.00 3,000.00 (3,000.00)

Donation 432.00

Educational DVD 2,967.61 1,000.00 1,967.61

Insurance & Bonds 7,039.17 8,000.00 (960.83)

International Relations 3,449.76 5,000.00 (1,550.24)

Junior Lifeguards 400.00 1,000.00 (600.00)

Mailings 51.31 250.00 (198.69)

Marketing Agent 20,000.00 2,000.00 18,000.00

Membership Kits 42,263.51 56,000.00 (13,736.49)

Miscellaneous 97.43 1,000.00 (902.57)

Office Expenses 787.53 1,000.00 (212.47)

Presidential Discretionary Fund 0.00 2,000.00 (2,000.00)

Professional Fees 2,565.13 3,500.00 (934.87)

Public Education 8,628.00 10,000.00 (1,372.00)

Public Relations 0.00 500.00 (500.00)

Regions % of Member Dues 21,433.00 32,000.00 (10,567.00)

Telephone/Internet 416.59 500.00 (83.41)

USLA Travel and Meetings 8,849.70 11,000.00 (2,150.30)

Website 1,294.00 7,000.00 (5,706.00)

Total Expense 229,030.89 252,250.00 (23,219.11)

Net Income 21,960.53

9,850.00

12,110.53

Page 5 of 8


Balance Sheet As of March 31, 2010

Mar 31, 10

ASSETS

Current Assets

Checking/Savings

Bank of America

Bank of America Checking 8,931.06

Bank of America Maximizer 164,345.05

Total Bank of America 173,276.11

Fidelity Investments 30,370.52

Paypal 5.11

Total Checking/Savings 203,651.74

Total Current Assets 203,651.74

TOTAL ASSETS 203,651.74

LIABILITIES & EQUITY

Liabilities

Long Term Liabilities

Competition - National Team 23,792.53

Marketing Agent Restriction 2,750.00

Mexican Lifesaving Fund 28,096.21

Total Long Term Liabilities 54,638.74

Total Liabilities 54,638.74

Equity

Unrestricted Net Assets 160,449.29

Net Income -11,436.29

Total Equity 149,013.00

TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY 203,651.74

Page 6 of 8


Profit & Loss Budget vs. Actual January through December 2010

April 7, 2010

Jan - Dec 10

Budget

$ Over Budget

Income

ALM Revenue 2,708.00 18,000.00 (15,292.00)

Certification Fees 600.00 10,500.00 (9,900.00)

Competition Income 0.00 38,500.00 (38,500.00)

Donations 1,094.05 3,000.00 (1,905.95)

Interest 129.58 1,500.00 (1,370.42)

Membership Dues 29,635.00 185,000.00 (155,365.00)

Royalties 3,456.15 3,000.00 456.15

Sponsorship 2,656.74 16,000.00 (13,343.26)

Total Income 40,279.52 275,500.00 (235,220.48)

Expense

American Lifeguard Magazine 4,682.95 49,500.00 (44,817.05)

Awards & Special Presentations 886.56 2,000.00 (1,113.44)

Certification Administration 388.30 4,000.00 (3,611.70)

Competition 14,000.00 34,200.00 (20,200.00)

Database 0.00 3,000.00 (3,000.00)

Donation 115.00

Educational DVD 67.88 500.00 (432.12)

Insurance & Bonds 0.00 8,000.00 (8,000.00)

International Relations 2,663.12 5,000.00 (2,336.88)

Junior Lifeguards 0.00 1,000.00 (1,000.00)

Mailings 0.00 250.00 (250.00)

Marketing Agent 0.00 20,000.00 (20,000.00)

Membership Kits 13,869.83 71,000.00 (57,130.17)

Miscellaneous 0.00 1,000.00 (1,000.00)

Office Expenses 239.56 1,000.00 (760.44)

Presidential Discretionary Fund 100.00 2,000.00 (1,900.00)

Professional Fees 63.05 3,500.00 (3,436.95)

Public Education 8,035.00 15,000.00 (6,965.00)

Public Relations 0.00 500.00 (500.00)

Regions % of Member Dues 6,069.00 34,500.00 (28,431.00)

Telephone/Internet 143.34 500.00 (356.66)

USLA Travel and Meetings 0.00 11,000.00 (11,000.00)

Website 0.00 7,000.00 (7,000.00)

Total Expense 51,323.59 274,450.00 (223,126.41)

Net Income (11,044.07)

1,050.00

(12,094.07)

Page 7 of 8


Competition – National Team As of December 31, 2009

Date

Name

Memo Paid Amount

Balance

Competition - National Team

244.11

03/10/2009 Deposit Annual Allocation 14,000.00 14,244.11

04/13/2009 Mike Murphy International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 13,744.11

04/13/2009 Ryan Matthews International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 13,244.11

04/13/2009 Paul Mangen International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 12,744.11

04/13/2009 Dave Cartidge International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 12,244.11

04/13/2009 Matt Caines International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 11,744.11

04/13/2009 Loriann Mark International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 11,244.11

04/13/2009 Renee Locarnini International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 10,744.11

04/13/2009 Brian Murphy International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 10,244.11

04/13/2009 Caroline Marani International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 9,744.11

04/13/2009 Emily Ward International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 9,244.11

04/13/2009 Jay Butki International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 8,744.11

04/13/2009 Tracey Crothers International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 8,244.11

04/13/2009 Jennifer Noonan International Surf Rescue Challenge -500.00 7,744.11

05/07/2009 Jay Butki Finis Equipment for ISRC -278.94 7,465.17

09/12/2009 Deposit Donation for Athletes Travel Expenses 5,846.09 13,311.26

09/13/2009 Brian Murphy Sanyo Bussan Challenge -500.00 12,811.26

09/13/2009 Jay Butki Sanyo Bussan Challenge -846.09 11,965.17

09/13/2009 Micah Carlson Sanyo Bussan Challenge -500.00 11,465.17

09/14/2009 Paul Mangen 2009 Sanyo Bussan Challenge -500.00 10,965.17

09/15/2009 Shane Scoggins 2009 Sanyo Bussan Challenge -500.00 10,465.17

09/15/2009 Kristen Purdy 2009 Sanyo Bussan Challenge -500.00 9,965.17

09/16/2009 Alison Riddle 2009 Sanyo Bussan Challenge -500.00 9,465.17

09/16/2009 Taylor Spivey 2009 Sanyo Bussan Challenge -500.00 8,965.17

09/20/2009 Garret Thibodeau 2009 Sanyo Bussan Challenge -500.00 8,465.17

09/20/2009 Emily Ward 2009 Sanyo Bussan Challenge -500.00 7,965.17

09/20/2009 Jennifer Noonan 2009 Sanyo Bussan Challenge -500.00 7,465.17

09/20/2009 Deposit $5 per Adult Registration minus Expenses 2,152.36 9,617.53

11/09/2009 Tim Gallagher Donation from 50/50 Rafle to National Team 175.00 9,792.53

Total Competition - National Team 9,548.42 9,792.53

TOTAL

9,548.42

9,792.53

Page 8 of 8


Competition – National Team As of April 7, 2010

Date

Name

Memo Paid Amount

Balance

Competition - National Team

9,792.53

03/31/2010 Deposit Annual Allocation 14,000.00 23,792.53

Total Competition - National Team 14,000.00 23,792.53

TOTAL

14,000.00

23,792.53


Mexican Lifesaving Fund As of December 31, 2009

Date

Name

Memo

Paid Amount

Balance

Mexican Lifesaving Fund

23,152.97

01/01/2009 Deposit Annual Allocation from Interest 11.5% 432.00 23,584.97

03/10/2009 Chartwell Charitable Foundation 3rd payment for Mexican Lifesaving Fund 5,000.00 28,584.97

03/13/2009 Jack Buck Gas Money requested by Karl/Burnside -100.00 28,484.97

03/19/2009 Neoverve.com Invoice #10642 -251.88 28,233.09

Total Mexican Lifesaving Fund 5,080.12 28,233.09

TOTAL

5,080.12

28,233.09


Mexican Lifesaving Fund As of April 7, 2010

Date

Name

Memo

Paid Amount

Balance

Mexican Lifesaving Fund

28,233.09

01/01/2010 Deposit Annual Deposit for Interest earned in 2009 115.00 28,348.09

03/22/2010 Neoverve.com CC online -251.88 28,096.21

Total Mexican Lifesaving Fund -136.88 28,096.21

TOTAL

-136.88

28,096.21

Page 1 of 1


Executive Delegate

Activity Report

Date: April 29,2010

Officer: Charlie Hartl

Introduction

First, let me say that I am very honored to have been elected to the position of Executive Delegate. Thank you again for your support and I will continue to do my best for our organization. USLA By-Laws Section 4, G,5,a&b state the duties of the Executive Delegate which follows: a) The Executive Delegate shall investigate and attempt to resolve those issues that arise during the daily operations of the USLA. b) The executive Delegate shall prepare a written report including all duties and activities for each meeting of the Board of Directors. Since I do not anticipate that we will be needed for any investigative issues, I have reached out to the President for anything that we may do to help him. His initial thought was to somehow expand our knowledge of the areas that we associate and to gather info for all open water aquatic areas. We presently have an ‘Agencies’ web page, a ‘Salaries’ web page, ‘Certified Beaches’ web page and a ‘Statistics’ page. We should use those sources along with our dated ‘Emergency Services Guide’ to expand our database and have all of this available on our web site.


1. We should work to actually create a database of all beaches in each region (USLA or not). This data base would contain data that would be of value to all of us. The inclusion of the beaches not presently associated with us is to make sure we don't forget them, but also to have the necessary information to contact them when needed. Portions of this database would also be available to all from our web site and also be managed by each beach and us. Updating of data could be done at anytime. Ultimately we would have one database that will have all the gathered info of the organization and beyond. This would include the stats, certifications, members, beaches, officers, committee chairs, etc...

2.


1. Review all present data.

2. Expand data collection.

3. Have volunteers gather data from each region.

4. Work with web chair to incorporate data to our web site.

Attachments

1. Draft ‘Input Sheet Instructions’

2. Draft ‘Data Input Sheet’

DIRECTORY DATA INPUT SHEET

INSTRUCTIONS

Please fill in as much of the form as possible. If you have

additional information please place it on the back of the form and

annotate the front. Most items are self-explanatory. Headquarters

and mailing addresses may be the same. If your operation is

seasonal the mailing address and business phone # will be

considered your winter contact information.

DEPARTMENT: Assigned governmental department

TRAINING STANDARD: USLA, Red Cross, YMCA, or other

SEASON: State year round or enter seasonal dates

CHAPTER AFFILIATION: USLA Chapter

AREAS OF OPERATIONS: Name of beaches, bays, rivers,

lakes, and other areas covered

SERVICES: Check all that apply and add other services not

listed

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Please add any information

on back as needed

Please return completed

form to: Charlie Hartl

13 Rowland Pl

Neptune City, NJ 07753-6008

Fax: (732) 988-3667

E-mail: [email protected]

Agency Name:

Headquarters Address: Mailing Address:

City: City:

St: St:

Zip: Zip:

Emerg HQ Ph#: Bus Ph#:

County: Department:

Training Standard: Season:

USLA Certified(Nat.): Chapter Affiliation:

Areas of Operations:

1 7

2 8

3 9

4 10

5 11

6 12

Services: (check all that apply)

Ocean Rescue Bay Rescue

Inland Water Rescue River Water Rescue

Swift Water Rescue Pool Rescue

Coastal Cliff Rescue First Aid

Scuba Diving Accidents Harbor Patrol

Ocean Rescue Boat PWC

Inland Rescue Boat House Emergencies

Highway Accidents Underwater Search & Rescue

Helicopter Medical Evaluations Ocean & Harbor Fire Suppression

Water Safety Education Law Enforcement

Junior Lifeguards Ice Rescues

DIRECTORY DATA INPUT

Page 1 of 1


Liaison Officer

Activity Report

Date: 4/28/2010

Officer: Peter Davis


1. Finalized work on Lifeguard Standards Coalition Committee- details on the coalition in Dr. Wernicki’s report.

2. Continuing communication and ongoing projects with our NOAA rip current project.

3. Ongoing facilitation of communication between outside individuals and groups requesting information, training, jobs, etc from USLA.

4. Worked with a committee to review information for a joint public education partnership with the National Park Service on their new “Web Ranger” project. Special thanks to USLA President Chris Brewster, Public Education Committee Chair Denise Blair, Junior Guard Committee Chair Reenie Boyer, and Treasurer Roberto Williams for their time and input.

5. Continued work within the America’s Region of the International Lifesaving Federation as the Secretary General ILS-AM. Although our Full Member in Peru has stepped down, it looks as though we have very promising possibilities for new Full Member applications in the near future from Ecuador, Uruguay, and Colombia. There is a longer range possibility of membership from a different group in Peru. Special thanks to all USLA members who were involved in any of a number of lifesaving efforts in the Americas.

Attachments

1. Letter from Paul Dunning to President Chris Brewster and Peter Davis regarding “Project Ecuador” right after Carnival talking about what an impact all the volunteers had. I included it because I felt it exemplifies what the spirit of lifesaving and of lifesaving development is all about, and thought others would enjoy reading it as much as I did.

This is a letter from Paul Dunning, with “Project Ecuador” to Chris Brewster, President and to

Peter Davis, Secretary General of the America’s Region of the International Lifesaving

Federation on February 23rd

, 2010.

Hi Chris/ Peter!

This year was an amazing adventure. We continued our training in the northern province of

Santa Elena and expanded training to the province of Manabi. Over 250 rescues were made

by the Ecuadorian's and USA volunteers with NO drownings in our 10+ covered beaches.

The Montanita guards reported the greatest number of rescues and administered CPR to

several victims, and all were revived!!! (still waiting for final # but I think it was 4 to 6

victims). Truly unreal for the Ecuadorians and volunteers! My Ecuadorian group in the

northernmost region pulled a heart attack victim out of the water and administered CPR,

then transported the victim to the hospital. Great success stories!

After Carnival, I flew to Quito to meet with the Ministry of Tourism leaders along with my

Director Gabriela Munoz Ocana. We met with the #2 and #3 officials and, after a 45 minute

presentation they agreed to move forward to join the ILSF and immediately begin the

application process. A letter of intent will be sent shortly to Chris from the Ministry

officials.

A national lifeguard association will be formed, Salvavidas del Ecuador and the ILSF fees will

be paid by the Ministry. Certification of lifeguards is forthcoming, and the previously trained

lifeguards by Project Ecuador are the first to be certified. A national training program later

this year will be led by Project Ecuador's Directors Rodney Williamson and Bridget Srodon,

who will be living/staying in Ecuador for many months.

I have such a great team of volunteers! I'm on top of the world!

Please visit the website blog for more details... www.ecuadorlifeguards.org/blog

Also, please visit the Project Ecuador Facebook page for photos, videos, etc

Salvavida Aye!

Paul

http://www.ecuadorlifeguards.org/blog

Page 1 of 2


MEDICAL ADVISOR

Activity Report


Officer: Peter G. Wernicki, M.D. FAAOS

Introduction

I share a special, kindred feeling when returning to Galveston. Our presence here helps to support local hurricane recovery efforts. We in Florida are all too familiar with the aftermath of these devastating storms and wish to help in any way possible.

Last month, I took a weekend trip within Florida. While reviewing hotel options in the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) Florida tour book, I came across the following section:

“Safety at Florida’s Beaches -… Swimming at an unguarded beach presents a risk to swimmers, not only through injury or drowning, but also through the dangers of rip currents, dangerous or poisonous marine animals and other hidden hazards. However, many Florida beaches are guarded by trained, certified ocean lifeguards. To ensure your safety and that of your family, be sure to swim only when ocean lifeguards are present. A list of guarded beaches is available from the United States Lifesaving Association and the Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association….”

This passage brought a proud smile to my face. Thanks to whoever was responsible for this ideal public safety message. It clearly illustrates the influence and mission of the USLA.

Activities and Accomplishments (since prior Board of Directors Meeting)

1. Work on the Lifesaving Standards Coalition is nearly complete. The public comment period brought nearly 300 responses. The chairs carefully read and reviewed each comment. When supported by scientific evidence, we made appropriate modifications to the statements. The final document should be ready shortly, and published within the next few months. Thanks to Peter Davis, Peter Chambers, and B. Chris Brewster for all your hard work. Thanks also to Carl Martinez, Dan McCormack, and the others who supplied comments and suggestions.

2. ILS Medical Committee work continues. At the upcoming October ILS board meeting in Egypt, new and revised medical position statements will be presented, and hopefully approved, by the Lifesaving Commission and the full board. In November, these will be reviewed with the USLA. For a period of time this winter while the current Chair recovered from an illness, I served as the Chair of the Medical Committee. I am happy to report that Sr. Tony Handley - recovered fully before I could do any serious damage to the committee’s work.

3. My ILS Anti-doping Committee involvement also continues. Several lifesaving athletes from other countries were sanctioned for violations. Our US athletes should note that there is a new list of banned substances (JAN 2010), requiring new testing and document procedures. Please see me for further information.

4. I continue to chair the Aquatics Sub-council of the American Red Cross Advisory Committee. Through this work, I am able to assure that the USLA is the authority in open water lifesaving. I

Page 2 of 2

also assure consideration of the USLA’s interests - in any national lifesaving initiatives from the CDC, Model Aquatic Health Code, etcera.

5. Please review the article in the recent edition of American Lifeguard on the “Lifeguard Rescue Survey”. This independent, anonymous survey gathers information on lifeguard rescues and responses. Roy Fielding, - Department of Kinesiology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte is conducting the survey. The information collected goes beyond that included in the USLA statistics, but it should not take away from our own work. The survey involves all rescue locations, including pools, and is endorsed by the American and Canadian Red Cross. The goal is to apply the information generated to help shape future knowledge and training. We hope that the USLA Board of Directors will officially endorse the completion of the survey by its members and agencies. The URL is http:/water-rescue.uncc.edu, (including an application for mobile use).

6. A Letter to the Editor of Anesthesiology on drowning and water rescue by Dr Culp, Mr. Brewster, and myself -appears in the January edition. A copy is attached. Also attached is a copy of the original drowning article that prompted the letter. This reference is an excellent review on the epidemiology, physiology, and treatment of drowning.

7. The biennial meeting of the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Update will be held in December 2010 in San Diego. The conference will follow the anticipated changes to be outlined in the new American Heart Association CPR guidelines. I will help to coordinate the program which hopes to include more water rescue professionals and organizations. Please -contact me for further details.

8. With pleasure, I report that I have recently been appointed to an Associate Professorship of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Florida Medical School.


1. That the USLA endorse and support the voluntary completion of the UNCC “Lifeguard Rescue Survey” by our members and agencies.

Attachments

“Letter to the editor”, William C. Culp, Jr., M.D., B. Chris Brewster, B.S., Peter Wernicki, M.D.; Anesthesiology 2010; 112:245–55. “Drowning: Update 2009”, A. Joseph Layon, M.D.,* Jerome H. Modell, M.D., D.Sc. (Hon); Anesthesiology 2009; 110:1390–401.

CORRESPONDENCE Anesthesiology 2010; 112:245–55

Copyright © 2009, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Drowning: Lifeguard Rescueand Resuscitation

To the Editor:We applaud the recent article by Drs. Layon and Modell1 asa timely and thorough review of drowning, from epidemiol-ogy to treatment. In fact, the scope of the drowning problemmay be even larger than initially presented, with more than400,000 global drowning fatalities in the year 2000 as esti-mated by the World Health Organization.* We fully concurthat further research in the area of drowning treatment isneeded, but the greatest success with the least risk and mostpromise involves drowning prevention and rescue. This canbe achieved by teaching populations to swim and encourag-ing swimming in lifeguard-protected areas. Lifeguard ser-vices are often among the first cut by agencies attempting toreduce operating expenses, yet lifeguards offer “significanteconomic and social savings to society”2 because of their lowrelative expense and high success rate.

In 2008, lifeguards working for agencies reporting to theUnited States Lifesaving Association reported more than70,000 rescues from drowning at beach venues alone. Theyfurther reported more than 4.5 million preventive actions(such as moving swimmers away from rip currents or otherhazards), which helped avoid the need for rescue or medicaltreatment. United States Lifesaving Association statisticsconsistently show a relative chance of drowning death whilein a lifeguard-protected area of only 1 in 18 million visits.†Meanwhile, media reports of would-be citizen rescuers dyingin rescue efforts are common.

As the authors note, “patients who are awake and orientedupon arrival to the emergency department survive withoutneurologic sequelae if treatment of their pulmonary problemis successful,” but “the initial prehospital therapy clearlyaffects patient outcome.” They further note a very lowsuccess rate for those who arrive unconscious in the emer-gency department.

Although most rescues by lifeguards are routine, allowingthe victim to walk away, some result in the need for medicalassistance. Most lifeguards in the United States are trained inresuscitation. In some areas, this is basic, whereas in others,lifeguards are emergency medical technicians up to the para-medic level. Some lifeguard agencies struggle with providing

the most basic equipment, whereas others have positive end-expiratory pressure available, along with advanced airwaydevices.

The authors promote the value of immediate oxygen ther-apy in the field, but this is only available to some lifeguardagencies, many of which expend funds on Automatic Exter-nal Defibrillators, which the authors note are rarely of valuein drowning resuscitation. In addition to further research,the medical community should direct efforts toward pro-moting the provision of lifeguard protection and improvingfield resuscitation techniques, such as supporting advancedairway interventions, because drowning remains an acute re-spiratory insult. Positive patient outcome is more likely toresult from expeditious rescue and field resuscitation thantreatment in the emergency department or in the intensivecare unit days later.

Anesthesiologists, as experts in airway management andresuscitation, are uniquely positioned to aid in drowningtreatment. Over a decade ago, this author (W.C.C.) helpeddevelop an educational relationship with a university anes-thesiology department and a local lifeguard organization.‡This ultimately led to increased airway skills with lifeguardsupervisors and a protocol for tracheal intubation by selectedlifeguards with advanced medical training (paramedic orphysician). Ocean lifeguards can respond well before mostambulance services, but most have limited practice with ad-vanced airway training. This could serve as a great opportu-nity for anesthesiologists to teach the use of the bag-valvemask, oral and nasopharyngeal airways, and the laryngealmask airway, among other devices.

Drowning is a global problem that can be dramaticallyreduced by teaching people how to swim, by encouragingswimming in lifeguarded areas, and by improving field resus-citative techniques. Promoting attention to the entire con-tinuum of the drowning prevention spectrum will result inthe best possible outcome. We thank the authors for bringingthis topic to the readers’ attention.

William C. Culp, Jr., M.D.,§ B. Chris Brewster, B.S.,Peter Wernicki, M.D. §Scott & White Hospital, TheTexas A&M University College of Medicine, Temple,Texas. [email protected]

References

1. Layon AJ, Modell JH: Drowning: Update 2009. ANESTHESI-OLOGY 2009; 110:1390 – 401

2. Lifeguard Effectiveness: A Report of the Working Group.Edited by Branche CM, Stewart S. Atlanta, Centers forDisease Control and Prevention, National Center for InjuryPrevention and Control, 2001

(Accepted for publication September 15, 2009.)

* http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/publications/other_injury/en/drowning_factsheet.pdf. Accessed June 1, 2009.

† http://www.usla.org/Statistics/public.asp. Accessed June 1,2009.

‡ The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston Depart-ment of Anesthesiology; Galveston County Sheriff DepartmentBeach Patrol.

Anesthesiology, V 112 • No 1 245 January 2010

� REVIEW ARTICLES

David S. Warner, M.D., and Mark A. Warner, M.D., Editors

Anesthesiology 2009; 110:1390–401 Copyright © 2009, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

Drowning

Update 2009A. Joseph Layon, M.D.,* Jerome H. Modell, M.D., D.Sc. (Hon)†

Over the past four decades, we have learned considerablymore about the pathophysiology and treatment of drowning.This, coupled with increased emphasis in improvement in wa-ter safety and resuscitation, has produced a threefold decreasein the number of deaths, indexed to population, from drowningin the United States yearly. This review presents the currentstatus of our knowledge of the epidemiology, the pathophysi-ology of drowning and its treatment, updates the definitions ofdrowning and the drowning process, and makes suggestionsfor further improvement in water safety.

DROWNING is the third leading cause of accidentaldeath in the United States.‡ In 1970, there were 7,860deaths from drowning in the United States.§ Based ondata reported for 1984 through 1987, there were ap-proximately 80,000 persons who suffered a drowningepisode and survived each year1 and nearly 6,000 whodied from drowning.‡§ Worldwide, approximately150,000 deaths per year are thought to occur fromdrowning.�� Given the incidence of 1 death per 13 sur-vivors of a drowning episode in the United States, thissuggests that there are approximately 2 million survivorsafter a drowning event, annually, worldwide.

Nearly half of all persons who drown are under 20 yrof age; 35% are accomplished swimmers.2 Factors con-

tributing to drowning include unattended children atwater sites, alcohol or other drug abuse in up to 50% ofcases involving adolescents or adults,3 limited swimmingability or exhaustion, trauma, risky behavior in the wa-ter, rough play, deliberate prolonged submersion, exac-erbation of existing medical problems (e.g., seizure dis-order, cardiac disease, or syncope), and attemptedsuicide. While most drowning incidents occur in swim-ming pools (50%), these also occur in lakes, rivers,streams, storm drains (20%), and bathtubs (15%).4 Somepersons drown in hot tubs and swimming pools wherethe suction generated in drains is of sufficient force totrap them under water5; toddlers can become trapped ina bucket or toilet when they lean over to play in thewater contained in these vessels.4,6��

For approximately the past 45 yr, there has been in-creased interest in studying the pathophysiology ofdrowning. The expansion of this knowledge and in-creased sophistication in the critical care of drownedvictims, increased emphasis on providing advancedemergency medical services, improving pool safety stan-dards and lifeguard training, and cardiopulmonary resus-citation (CPR) training of the lay population have beeninstrumental in progressively reducing the death ratefrom drowning in the United States from 1970 to 2000.The death rate in 1970 was 3.87 deaths per 100,000population, in 1980 it was 2.67, in 1990 it was 1.6, andin 2000 it was 1.24 deaths per 100,000 population (table1). The latest data available for drowning deaths is 3,582for the year 2005. Because population census is onlypublished every 10 years, we cannot calculate the ratioof deaths per 100,000 population for this time period.However, if we assume the same annual rate of growthoccurred in the United States population from 2000 to2005 as occurred from 1990 to 2000, then the death ratefrom drowning dropped further in 2005 to 1.19 per100,000 population.

One of us (Dr. Modell) has had the opportunity toreview over 500 cases of death from drowning thatresulted in litigation. Many of these deaths resulted fromomissions of basic safety precautions such as absent orinadequate pool fencing, unattended young children atwater sites, faulty pool design resulting in victims be-coming trapped below the surface of the water, poor

This article is accompanied by an Editorial View. Please see:Warner DS, Bierens JJLM, Beerman SB, Katz LM. Drowning: Acry for help. ANESTHESIOLOGY 2009; 110:1211–3.

�

* Professor of Anesthesiology, Surgery, and Medicine, Department of Anesthe-siology University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida; † ProfessorEmeritus of Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, University of FloridaCollege of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida.

Received from the Departments of Anesthesiology, Surgery, and Medicine,University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida. Submitted forpublication September 19, 2008. Accepted for publication January 28, 2009.Support was provided solely from institutional and/or departmental sources.

David S. Warner, M.D., served as Handling Editor for this article.

Address correspondence to Dr. Modell: Department of Anesthesiology, Uni-versity of Florida College of Medicine, PO Box 100254, Gainesville, Florida32610-0254. [email protected]. This article may be accessed for personaluse at no charge through the Journal Web site, www.anesthesiology.org.

‡ Accident Facts. Chicago: National Safety Council, 1987.

§ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Fast stats: Deaths/mortality.Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm. Accessed September12, 2008.

�� National Center for Health Statistics: Vital Statistics of the United States,1990. Vol II: Mortality, Part A. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsus/mort90_2a.pdf. Accessed September 12, 2008.

Anesthesiology, V 110, No 6, Jun 2009 1390

pool maintenance resulting in murky or cloudy waterthat obscured sight of submerged bodies, lifeguards be-ing distracted by socializing with others and doing otherchores such as manning admission booths and doinghousekeeping chores while on lifeguard duty, andpoorly trained lifeguards who did not recognize a personin trouble in the water or had not been properly trainedin rescue and resuscitation techniques. Clearly, these areall correctable issues that would prevent avoidabledrowning deaths with little additional effort. We antici-pate that if pool and water safety standards are morestrictly enforced, and as lifeguards continue to becomebetter trained and adhere to important basic principlesof surveillance, rescue, and resuscitation, the death ratewill continue to decline.7

Finally, variability of existing definitions may make itdifficult to analyze and interpret published studies,therefore, new definitions of “drowning” and “thedrowning process” were proposed by a task force at the2002 World Congress on Drowning.8,9

Definitions

There has been much confusion regarding the termi-nology used to describe persons who have drowned.Dorland’s Medical Dictionary offers the following def-inition of drowning: “suffocation and death resultingfrom filling of the lungs with water or other substance orfluid so that gas exchange becomes impossible.”10 It isknown, however, that victims of drowning frequentlyaspirate only relatively small quantities of water, and thelungs are seldom “filled with water.”2 Furthermore,drowning implies death, yet many victims are resusci-tated and eventually recover. Thus, subdefinitions wereproposed in 1971 to delineate drowning and near-drowning events with greater accuracy. To drown with-out aspiration is to die secondary to respiratory obstruc-tion and asphyxia while submerged in water. To drownwith aspiration is to die secondary to asphyxia resultantfrom aspiration of water while submerged. To near-drown without aspiration is to survive, at least initially,after asphyxia resultant from submersion in water. Tonear-drown with aspiration is to survive, at least ini-

tially, after submersion in and aspiration of water oranother liquid media.2

At the World Congress on Drowning in Amsterdam,The Netherlands, in 2002, many international expertssuggested that the above terminology was confusing.This is particularly true when someone is retrieved fromthe water in a state of asystole and successfully revivedwith CPR. According to the above definitions, the victimwould be classified as “drowned” when retrieved, butafter the CPR, the victim would be reclassified as “near-drowned.” If the victim then went on to die, did they diesecondary to complications from “drowning” or “near-drowning?” This led to the development of a new defi-nition of “drowning” and the “drowning process” thatwas published in Circulation in 2003 as follows.8

DrowningDrowning is a process resulting in primary respiratory

impairment from submersion/immersion in a liquid me-dium. Implicit in this definition is that a liquid/air inter-face is present at the entrance of the victim’s airway,preventing the victim from breathing air. The victim maylive or die after this process, but whatever the outcome,he or she has been involved in a drowning incident.

The Drowning ProcessThe drowning process is a continuum that begins

when the victim’s airway lies below the surface of theliquid, usually water, at which time the victim voluntar-ily holds his or her breath. Breath holding is usuallyfollowed by an involuntary period of laryngospasm sec-ondary to the presence of liquid in the oropharynx orlarynx.11 During this period of breath holding and laryn-gospasm, the victim is unable to breathe gas. This resultsin oxygen being depleted and carbon dioxide not beingeliminated. The victim then becomes hypercarbic, hy-poxemic, and acidotic.12 During this time, the victimwill frequently swallow large quantities of water.13 Thevictim’s respiratory movements may become very active,but there is no exchange of air because of the obstruc-tion at the level of the larynx. As the victim’s arterialoxygen tension drops further, laryngospasm abates, andthe victim actively breathes liquid, with the amountinhaled varying considerably from victim to victim.Changes occur in the lungs, body fluids, blood-gas ten-sions, acid-base balance, and electrolyte concentrations,which are dependent on the composition and volume ofthe liquid aspirated and duration of submersion.”12–15 Aslightly shorter modification of “drowning” and the“drowning process” was also published by these sameauthors in the Handbook on Drowning in 2006.9

Surfactant washout, pulmonary hypertension, and shunt-ing also contribute to development of hypoxemia.16,17 Ad-ditional physiologic derangements, such as the cold shockresponse, may occur in victims immersed in cold water;water that is 10°C or colder has pronounced cardiovascular

Table 1. Deaths per 100,000 Population in the United StatesEvery 10 Years from 1970 Through 2000

Year Drowning Deaths* US Population†Deaths per

100,000 Population

1970 7,860 203,302,031 3.871980 6,043 226,545,805 2.671990 3,979 248,709,873 1.602000 3,482 281,421,906 1.242005 3,582 Not available

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Fast stats: Deaths/mortality.Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm. Accessed Sep-tember 12, 2008. † http://www.census.gov. Accessed September 12, 2008.

1391DROWNING: UPDATE 2009

Anesthesiology, V 110, No 6, Jun 2009

effects, including increased blood pressure and ectopictachydysrhythmias. The response may also trigger a gaspreflex followed by hyperventilation, which can occurwhile the victim is underwater.18

A victim may be rescued at any time during the drown-ing process and may not require any intervention or mayreceive appropriate resuscitative measures, in whichcase the drowning process is interrupted. If the victim isnot ventilated soon enough, or does not start to breathespontaneously, circulatory arrest will ensue and, in theabsence of effective resuscitative efforts, multiple organdysfunction and death will result, primarily because oftissue hypoxia. The development of posthypoxic en-cephalopathy is the most common cause of death inhospitalized victims who have suffered from the drown-ing process.19,20

No two cases of drowning are identical. The type,temperature, and quantity of water aspirated may differ,and the victim’s state of health before drowning may beimportant.21 Very cold water may result in rapid hypo-thermia, which decreases the victim’s requirement foroxygen, thereby prolonging the period of time they maybe submerged and still completely recover.22,23 On theother hand, significant hypothermia may also lead tosevere delays in myocardial conduction, dysrhythmias,and cardiac arrest. In addition, immersion in cold (0° to15°C) water increases minute ventilation and decreasesmaximal duration of breath holding. This may decreasethe effectiveness of the “diving reflex” and increase thelikelihood of drowning.24–26

Pathophysiology

Pulmonary Changes and Acid-Base BalanceThe pathophysiology of drowning has been studied

extensively.2,12,14,15,27,28 Alterations noted are primarilyrelated to abnormal gas exchange induced by pulmonaryinjury causing severe hypoxemia and resultant cerebralhypoxia. Cerebral edema may follow from these proce-sses.29–31 Interestingly, at least in endothermic animals,hypoxia results in both a lowered set point of thethermo-neutral zone and vasodilation.32 The result ishypothermia without shivering and, thus, a decrease inoxygen consumption of about 11% per degree Celsius.The sudden onset of hypothermia during a submersionepisode prolongs the time one can be submerged andstill survive after rescue and resuscitation without hy-poxic brain damage.33,34 One of us (Dr. Modell) haspublished a case report of a child who was underwaterfor 20 min during the coldest day of the year in northernFlorida and survived after receiving CPR and postresus-citation intensive care.33 His cerebral function returnedto normal shortly after the event, and he is normal, by allaccounts, 6 years later. Other such reports are availablein the literature, including a child in Norway who wasbelieved to be submerged for 22 min.34

Drowning without Aspiration. It had been esti-mated that approximately 10% of human drowning vic-tims die without aspirating liquid,35 i.e., they die fromhypoxic cardiac arrest during laryngospasm or breath-holding. Recently, this conclusion, based on Cot’s stud-ies36 in the early 1900s and reported in the Frenchliterature, has been challenged.37,38 Modell et al. re-ported a different interpretation of this work in 1999 andquestioned whether drowning without aspiration actu-ally occurs.37 Lunetta et al. subsequently reviewed theresults of autopsies of 578 persons who were presumedto have drowned; evidence of water was found in thelungs of 98.6% of victims studied.38 They concluded thatto be classified as having “drowned,” the victim musthave aspirated water. If the heart is stopped before thepatient’s airway becomes submerged in the water, i.e.,the victim is dead, water does not passively seep into thelungs. Thus, aspiration of water requires active ventila-tion while submerged. Therefore, persons who arefound deceased in the water and do not demonstrate anyevidence of water aspiration at autopsy should be con-sidered as having probably died of some other cause.38

An alternative, of course, could be a homicide victimwhose body was then disposed of in the water.

Breath-Holding. Craig39,40 studied the breath-holdingbreaking point (the point at which a breath would betaken involuntarily) in human volunteers during simu-lated underwater swimming. He found that at rest, thebreath-holding breaking point was 87 s; at that time, thepartial pressures of carbon dioxide and oxygen in alve-olar air (PAO2 and PAO2) were 51 and 73 mmHg, respec-tively. After hyperventilation, breath-holding could bemaintained for a full 146 s; at this time, the PACO2 in-creased to only 46 mmHg, whereas PAO2 decreased to 58mmHg. When exercise followed hyperventilation, thebreath-holding break point was only 85 s. In this in-stance, while the PACO2 was only 49 mmHg, PAO2 haddropped to 43 mmHg. Craig concluded that exercise,such as swimming, increased metabolically producedcarbon dioxide, and the arterial carbon dioxide tension(PaCO2) was relatively low in his volunteers becausestores had been depleted during hyperventilation; thus,the urge to breathe was delayed. With exercise afterhyperventilation, the arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) de-creased to levels incompatible with the maintenance ofconsciousness before the time the level of PaCO2 hadbecome unbearable. He surmised that loss of conscious-ness during underwater swimming was the result ofcerebral hypoxia rather than hypercarbia. This work wassentinel in our understanding of the pathophysiology ofdrowning during underwater swimming and breathholding (or shallow water blackout).41 In a canine modelof asphyxia, Kristoffersen et al.42 found that hypercarbiawithout hypoxia was not fatal but that the studied ani-mals inevitably died when the PaO2 decreased to be-tween 10 to 15 mmHg.

1392 LAYON AND MODELL


From data such as these, we know that hypoxia is thesingle most important abnormality in death resultantfrom submersion in water. While it is possible that theadded effects of acidosis and hypercarbia may contributesecondarily to the terminal event, the primary phenom-enon in these cases is hypoxemia. Reinstitution of ade-quate ventilation and oxygenation before the occur-rence of circulatory arrest and irreversible nervoussystem damage results in complete and dramatic resto-ration of function. If, however, spontaneous ventilationbegins while the patient is still submerged in water,aspiration occurs, resulting in a more complicated andpersistent pathophysiology and a drowning incident,which requires additional treatment.

Drowning Effects on Blood-Gas Exchange. Whilemultiple models have been devised to study the phenom-ena of drowning, all authors agree that hypoxia occursimmediately upon aspiration of the fluid. Profound alter-ations in arterial oxygenation may occur when as littleas 1 to 2.2 ml/kg of water are aspirated into thelungs.14,15,17,43 In persons rescued within 1.5 to 2 min ofthe onset of submersion in whom aspiration of water hasnot yet occurred, reinstitution of ventilation and circu-lation results in the immediate reversal of hypoxemia.However, when aspiration of water occurs, the hypox-emia is persistent. Modell et al.12 showed that afterinstillation of 22 ml/kg of fresh water or normal salinesolution into the tracheas of anesthetized dogs, signifi-cant arterial hypoxemia persisted even though the ani-mals were breathing spontaneously and hyperventilatingwhen the 60-min postaspiration blood samples weredrawn. Hypoxemia also resulted when volumes as smallas 2.2 ml/kg were instilled intratracheally and treatmentwas limited to restoring spontaneous ventilation andcirculation.13 In another study, when 11 ml/kg of freshwater or seawater was instilled into the trachea, andspontaneous ventilation was reestablished, PaO2 was re-duced for at least 72 h after aspiration.44

A study of 91 consecutive drowning patients13 ana-lyzed arterial blood for PaO2, PaCO2, and pHa at varioustimes after an accidental immersive event in either seawater, fresh water, or brackish water. In many of thesecases, profound arterial hypoxemia was noted, with thePaO2 to inspired oxygen fraction (FIO2) ratio (PaO2/FIO2)ranging from 30 to 585. Only one patient with a PaO2/FIO2 greater than 150 mmHg died; this individual wasjudged neurologically unsalvageable, and therapy waswithdrawn. Two patients had PaO2 above 80 mmHgwhile breathing room air on admission to the ED afterrescue. Both of these individuals were thought to bevictims of drowning with little aspiration or may havebeen retrieved before aspiration occurred.13 Althoughthe PaO2 returns to normal within 48 h in some patients,others show persistent hypoxia for days and even weeksafter an episode of drowning.13,45,46

Mechanism of the Pulmonary Effects Seen withDrowning. As early as 1933, Karpovich47 suggestedthat water in the alveoli and conducting airways im-paired ventilation by mechanical blockage during sub-sequent resuscitation. Since this initial work, otherinvestigators demonstrated that aspiration of seawaterleads to an increase in the volume of fluid within theair spaces of the lungs.15,48 Halmagyi17 showed thatthe weight of rat lungs increased threefold above theweight added by instilled seawater. Other studies15,48

showed that attempts to drain the lungs of dogs bygravity or mechanical suction after aspiration of sea-water results in more fluid being harvested than wasinitially instilled into the trachea. Indeed, in a caninemodel of massive seawater aspiration, where the sub-jects aspirated from 40 to 91 ml/kg of water, Reddinget al.48 noted that volumes drained from the lungs inexcess of 14 to 33 ml/kg was associated with survivalonly when replacement of intravascular volume wasprovided. The increase in lung fluid is due to thehypertonicity of seawater, which pulls fluid from thecirculation into the lung, resulting in hypovolemia.15

Conversely, after freshwater aspiration, the lungs ofrats did not increase in weight.17 When a sublethalamount of fresh water was aspirated by anesthetizeddogs,14,43,49 it was absorbed so rapidly that significantamounts of free water could not be recovered from theairway by gravity drainage after only 3 min.

Because seawater is hypertonic, it is relatively easy tounderstand why pulmonary edema occurs in patientswho have suffered a drowning event in seawater. Pul-monary surfactant extracted from the lungs of animalsthat died after total immersion in fresh water exhibitabnormal surface-tension properties, thus promoting al-veolar instability and collapse.16 Because alveoli defi-cient in surfactant are unstable and become permeableto fluid, this is at least one factor contributing to thepulmonary edema occurring after freshwater aspiration.Another factor that may be involved is the transienthypervolemia that occurs with freshwater aspira-tion.14,29 In contrast, during total immersion in isotonicsaline or in seawater, although some surfactant may bewashed from the lungs, significant quantities of normalsurfactant material remain, so that surfactant extracted atautopsy displays surface-tension properties compatiblewith normal function. The pulmonary edema that occursafter seawater aspiration, on the other hand, is probablydue primarily to an osmotic gradient across the alveolarcapillary membrane, resulting in fluid-filled but perfusedalveoli.16

Whether the drowning event occurs in fresh water orsea water, the end result is pulmonary edema, a decreasein pulmonary compliance, and an increase in the venti-lation/perfusion mismatch. Immediately after aspirationof either liquid, a large alveolar-arterial oxygen gradientis seen, whether the subject is breathing room air or



100% oxygen. This suggests that the hypoxia seen indrowning victims is due to ventilation/perfusion mis-match, which spans the spectrum from absolute in-trapulmonary shunt to a simple imbalance in the venti-lation/perfusion ratio. In a detailed and, for its time,rather elaborate investigation, Colebatch and Halmagyi43

studied the effects of fluid aspiration on pulmonary me-chanics in an ovine model. Animals were divided intogroups of between three and seven, and either freshwater (1 or 3 ml/kg) or sea water (l or 2.5 ml/kg) wasinstilled intratracheally. Compliance of the lung wasnoted to decrease by as much as 66% within 5 min ofliquid instillation; elastic work of breathing increasedfive- to nine-fold, and airways resistance increased two-to eight-fold. The administration of atropine (intrave-nous) or isoproterenol (intravenous or inhaled) lessenedthe degree of compliance alteration noted.50

During the recovery phase, after aspiration of eitherfresh water or sea water, significant hypoxia may be seenwhen breathing room air, even after the alveolar-arterialoxygen gradient while breathing 100% oxygen has re-turned to normal.44,45 This finding suggests that areas ofnonuniform ventilation/perfusion or diffusion alterationcause hypoxia even after absolute intrapulmonary shuntis no longer clinically significant. A number of changesthat occur after aspiration of fluid may also contribute tothis delayed defect. These include organization of a pro-teinaceous exudate, injury to the alveolar-capillary mem-brane, or secondary infection of the lung.

A variety of microscopic findings have been reportedafter fluid aspiration. After instillation of small quantitiesof fresh water (0.1 ml/100 mg body weight), rat lungsdid not show changes when studied by electron micros-copy. After aspiration of the same quantity of seawater,however, increased lung weight and intraalveolar hem-orrhage were observed.17 When rat lungs were perfusedwith fresh water via the trachea, findings included awidening of the alveolar septa, collapse of capillaries,decrease in the number of red blood cells, enlargementof the endothelial and septal nuclei, swelling of themitochondria, and obliteration of cell outlines. Thesechanges can all be attributed, presumably, to the rapidabsorption of large quantities of fresh water from thealveoli. When rat lungs were perfused intratracheallywith sea water, the changes noted were less marked, andthe septal and endothelial nuclei were small and dark.Red blood cells were seen in the capillaries and, al-though there was irregular folding of cell walls, theoverall architecture of the lung was preserved.51

In humans and animals, another frequent finding onautopsy after death by submersion is hyperexpansion ofthe lungs, resembling acute emphysema.30 Miloslavich52

attributed these changes to rupture of alveoli due towide fluctuations in airway pressure during violent ven-tilatory efforts against a closed glottis or resulting fromairway obstruction from water during submersion; the

precise mechanism remains unclear. If the patient sur-vives for at least 12 h after drowning, only to die later,the lungs will frequently show evidence of pneumonia,abscesses, mechanical injury, and deposition of alveolarhyaline material through the third day after the drown-ing event.23 These findings are not surprising in light ofFuller’s report that, in 70% of humans autopsied afterdrowning, evidence of having aspirated material otherthan water–vomitus, mud, sand, or algae–was found.Despite the above findings, Butt et al.46 were unable todemonstrate any consistent pattern of abnormality inpulmonary function or arterial oxygenation of patientswho were studied after recovery from a drowning epi-sode. It appears that, whatever the acute changes, clin-ical pulmonary abnormalities are usually completely re-versible after recovery from a drowning episode.

Intrapulmonary shunting and PaO2 can be improvedafter drowning by the appropriate application of positiveend-expiratory pressure (PEEP) or continuous positiveairway pressure (CPAP) to the airway.53–56 Early studieson the utilization of newer modalities of therapy such asnitric oxide57 appear to be promising in the treatment ofsome other causes of severe pulmonary edema–at leastas far as improving the physiologic parameters–but ran-domized, prospective clinical studies have not yet beenreported in the treatment of patients who have drown.

Changes in Blood Volume and Serum ElectrolytesAfter the aspiration of hypotonic or hypertonic fluid,

changes other than those affecting the pulmonary paren-chyma were historically thought to be of considerableimportance.27 To produce a significant change in bloodvolume requires the aspiration of a large volume of fluid.If more than 11 ml/kg of hypotonic fluid is aspirated, theblood volume will increase in direct proportion to theamount aspirated.14,53 If the patient is successfully resus-citated, this absorbed fluid is rapidly redistributed andhypovolemia may occur within 1 h.35 When a significantquantity of hypertonic sea water is aspirated, significanthypovolemia may rapidly ensue.15 When the aspirationof significant amounts of either hypotonic or hypertonicfluid are suspected, effective circulating blood volumemust be followed by measuring the patient’s centralvenous pressure, pulse waveform or stroke volume vari-ability, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure, right ven-tricular end diastolic volume, or transesophageal echo-cardiography to assist in the determination of necessarytreatment. However, most drowning victims do not as-pirate enough fluid to cause life-threatening changes inblood volume.

Similarly, serum electrolyte concentrations can changeafter drowning, and the degree to which they change isdependent on the amount and type of fluid aspirated.Experimental work in a canine model has shown thatsignificant persistent changes in serum electrolyte con-centrations did not occur with aspiration of 22 ml/kg or



less of either fresh water14 or sea water.15 Aspiration ofvolumes of water in excess of this amount will result inextracellular electrolyte concentrations that reflect theresultant hypervolemia and hypovolemia that occur withfresh water and sea water, respectively. However, aspi-ration of this large amount of water is highly unlikely inhumans who survive the drowning process, being foundin only 15% of humans who die in the water fromdrowning.58 This explains why life-threatening changesin serum electrolyte concentrations have seldom beenreported in freshwater and seawater drowning victims.Thus, each patient’s initial intravenous fluid therapyshould be 0.9% saline solution, and serum electrolyteconcentrations should be evaluated before any specificcorrective electrolyte therapy is started; hypotonic solu-tions should be avoided. There is rarely any need foremergent treatment secondary to electrolyte abnormali-ties unless very large volumes of water are aspirated orthe drowning event occurs in an extremely concentratedliquid medium, such as the Dead Sea (Na�, K�, Cl�,Ca2�, and Mg2� are 3 to 36 times as concentrated in thisbody of water as in the Mediterranean Sea59).

Effects on Hemoglobin and HematocritIf large volumes of fresh water are aspirated in the

presence of hypoxemia, hemolysis of red blood cells canoccur, causing plasma hemoglobin and serum potassiumlevels to increase. The hemolysis is secondary not only tohypotonicity, but it also requires the presence of pro-found hypoxemia.60 When animals received an intrave-nous infusion of distilled water (44 ml/kg, a sufficientvolume to cause severe extracellular electrolyte changes),they showed an elevated plasma hemoglobin only whenthe water infusion was associated with a concomitanthypoxic event (due to an occluded endotracheal tube).When the same volume of water was instilled intratra-cheally, profound hypoxia resulted and hemolysisoccurred.

In a canine model of drowning, chlorinated or unchlo-rinated distilled water or saline at a volume of 22 ml/kgwas instilled into the animals’ tracheas.12 Gross hemoly-sis was observed in 9 of 10 animals having aspirateddistilled water, but it was observed in none of thosehaving aspirated saline. Significant changes in hemoglo-bin and hematocrit values are rarely found in humandrowning victims,13 lending further support to the the-ory that, although humans aspirate water during thedrowning process, those who survive drowning, as arule, do not aspirate large amounts of fluid. When asufficiently large volume of water is aspirated and hemo-lysis does occur, serious bleeding disorders such as dis-seminated intravascular coagulation may be seen.61 Only1 of 91 consecutive drowning patients reported by Mod-ell et al.13 demonstrated a plasma hemoglobin level of atleast 500 mg/100 ml; this individual later died of massivelung consolidation.

Effects on Cardiovascular and Renal SystemsA wide range of electrocardiographic changes have

been observed in experimental studies of both freshwa-ter and seawater drowning.62 Rarely, however, is a spe-cific therapy required, because these changes usuallyabate when adequate oxygenation has been reestab-lished. Death from ventricular fibrillation after freshwa-ter aspiration is rare, but it can occur if very largeamounts of fluid are aspirated.27,53 In one canine study inwhich 22 ml/kg saline or distilled water was instilledintratracheally, bigeminy occurred in 9 of 15 dogs, andT-wave elevation was noted in 6 of 15.12 Karch63 re-ported finding significant cardiac pathologic changes 29min after either a freshwater or saltwater (6 ml/kg intra-tracheal instillation) drowning episode. Light micros-copy showed focal areas of disruption of the normalpattern of striation and, on occasion, of the intercalateddisks and hypereosinophilia of myocytes. On electronmicroscopy, the damaged myocytes showed hypercon-traction with swelling and an increased lucency of themitochondria; also seen in the myocyte nuclei was chro-matin clumping and crenation. These changes were notnoted in the one control animal. Although the clinicalrelevance of these findings is uncertain, they are ofinterest to the further study of cardiac abnormalitiesafter drowning.

The sudden onset of a lethal cardiac arrhythmia hasbeen postulated as a potential event to precipitate sub-mersion and drowning. Also, it has been proposed that along QT syndrome might be responsible for somedrowning episodes.64,65 However, this can rarely beproven because persons with a documented long QTsyndrome may have a normal electrocardiogram at othertimes.66 Sometimes an abnormality may be found withthe performance of a molecular autopsy, but these arerarely done in a forensic autopsy, which is what isusually performed in a suspected drowning victim. Fur-ther, Lunetta et al. looked for genetic mutations in 63drowning victims and failed to document a single case oflong QT syndrome founder mutations in KCNQ1(KVLQT1) and KCNH2 (HERG) genes.38,67 Althoughlong QT syndrome must be considered when someonesuddenly and unexpectedly dies in the water,68 its oc-currence is likely rare and difficult to confirm in theabsence of a positive family history, a positive electro-cardiogram, or documentation of founder gene mutationat autopsy.

Renal function is usually unimpaired during a drown-ing episode; however albuminuria,31 cylindruria,30 he-moglobinuria,31,35,69–72 oliguria,35 acute tubular necro-sis,31 and anuria35 have been noted on occasion. Severaletiologies for renal dysfunction have been implicated,including myoglobinuria due to muscle trauma, lacticacidosis, hypoxemia or hypoperfusion, and hemolysiswith subsequent hemoglobinemia.2 Although these arenot common problems, all should be considered possi-



ble threats to renal function and treated accordinglywhen indicated.

Neurologic EffectsMost drowning victims suffer a period of unconscious-

ness secondary to cerebral hypoxia.53 Frequent neuro-logic assessment using the Glasgow Coma Scale scoreshould be performed. Both Conn et al.19 and Modell etal.73 found that patients who are awake and orientedupon arrival to the emergency department (ED) survivewithout neurologic sequelae if treatment of their pulmo-nary problem is successful. Between 90%19 and 100%73

of patients who arrived in the ED with a blunted mentalstatus (that is, stuporous but capable of being aroused,with purposeful movements to pain) survived withoutneurologic residua. Patients who presented to the ED ina coma, however, had much worse outcomes; 44%19 to55%73 recovered completely, but 10%73 to 23%19 hadsevere persistent neurologic sequelae, with the highestincidence occurring in pediatric drowning cases. Ap-proximately 34%19,73 of comatose patients died afterpresentation. In children who were comatose on arrivalto the ED, survival with normal brain function approxi-mated 44%; 39% died, and approximately 17% survivedwith incapacitating brain damage.19,73 The implicationof these data are that the healthy hearts of children, asopposed to those of adults who may have cardiac pa-thology secondary to the aging process, will respond toCPR even after a significant period of hypoxemia resultsin persistent brain damage.

Attempts to “resuscitate” the brain in pediatricdrowning cases have been largely unsuccessful. Threestudies74 –76 involving 75 severe pediatric drowningincidents found that, despite aggressive cerebral re-suscitation attempts, which included fluid restriction,intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring, intravenousmannitol for elevated ICP, hyperventilation, neuro-muscular blockade, barbiturates and, in some of thechildren, steroids and induced hypothermia, only 12(16%) survived neurologically intact; the remaindereither died, remained in a persistent vegetative stateor, in one case, survived with mild to moderate mentalretardation.

Conn et al.19 attempted to use hypothermia, barbituratecoma, neuromuscular blockers, hyperventilation, and de-hydration to enhance neurologic outcome; this treatmentregimen was termed “HYPER therapy.” Although they ini-tially thought that there was significant improvement in thenumber of normal outcomes in some subgroups ofdrowned patients, a comparable series presented by Mod-ell et al.73 found similar results without using HYPER ther-apy. In a follow-up study to the work by Conn et al., Bohnet al.77 from the same institution were unable to substan-tiate the former’s findings.

Other groups also have suggested that the use of multi-modality therapy for brain protection is of little use. Allman

et al.78 studied 66 children between April 1979 and Sep-tember 1984. Each patient required full CPR and had aninitial Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3 in the ED. Eachpatient’s Glasgow Coma Scale score was reclassified ac-cording to the results of a repeat neurologic examinationupon arrival to the pediatric intensive care unit. The resultsshowed 16 patients (24%) with apparently intact survival,17 patients (26%) with vegetative survival, and 33 who died(50%). None of the patients who arrived in the intensivecare unit with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3 survivedneurologically intact. Fifty-five patients were also treatedwith ICP monitoring and aggressive therapy directed atcontrol of ICP. Despite adequate control of ICP and main-tenance of cerebral perfusion pressure, only eight of themonitored patients (14%) survived intact, 12 (21%) sur-vived in a vegetative state, and 35 patients died. The au-thors suggested that, although aggressive ED resuscitationof pediatric drowning victims was justified, cerebral resus-citation measures needed to be subjected to critical pro-spective evaluation before their value can be substantiated.

Although there are no data evaluating the effects ofhypertonic saline resuscitation in drowning victims, an-imal studies have suggested that these solutions helpprevent elevation of ICP postinjury (global ischemia andfocal cryogenic injury). Some,79,80 but not all,81,82 stud-ies attempting to evaluate the differential effect of hy-pertonic versus isotonic/hypotonic fluid to resuscitateanimals from hemorrhage83,84 or the effect of hemodilu-tion80 without brain injury have noted that ICP waslower in the experimental subjects (rabbits, dogs, andpigs) in which hypertonic solutions were used. In onestudy83 in which animals suffered a focal cryogenic braininjury, cerebral blood flow was higher and ICP lower inanimals infused with hypertonic sodium lactate (500mOsm/L) as compared with lactated Ringer solution(270 mOsm/L). These studies have not been performedin a model of drowning.

Two animal studies evaluating outcome in complete84

or incomplete85 cerebral ischemia suggest that fluid re-placement with solutions containing glucose results in aworse neurologic outcome than does replacement witha crystalloid. Ashwal et al.86 found that elevated bloodglucose levels and/or reduced cerebral blood flow mea-sured by the stable xenon technique correlated with aworsened outcome – the former by 68% and the latter by50% – the precise mechanism for this has not beenelucidated. Others note that hyperglycemia is detectedon admission in about 33% of stroke patients,87 and thatpersistent hyperglycemia (blood glucose level greaterthan 200 mg/dL) in the first 24 h after stroke indepen-dently predicted ischemic stroke infarct volume expan-sion and poor neurologic outcome.88 In rat models ofglobal ischemic injury, mitogen-activated protein ki-nases89– the family of which has been proposed as amajor mediator producing cellular damage in diabetesand ischemia–and superoxide90 are noted to be in-



creased in the presence of hyperglycemia. Althoughthese data may be mechanistically incomplete, the clin-ical data are compelling enough that we aggressivelycontrol glucose–keeping it between 100 and 140 mg/dL–with care taken to avoid hypoglycemia and its atten-dant morbidity.

In a retrospective study of 93 patients who suffereddrowning events, Nichter and Everett91 showed thatnone of the patients who required cardiotonic drugs toobtain a perfusing cardiac rhythm survived with intactneurologic status. However, all patients who had reac-tive pupils on arrival to the ED survived neurologicallyintact. In another retrospective study of 55 patients,Biggart and Bohn22 showed that, all other things beingequal, prolonged in-hospital resuscitation and aggressivetreatment of nonhypothermic drowning victims resultedin an increased number of survivors in a vegetative state.When accidental hypothermia occurred at the time ofthe drowning episode, a better outcome usually resu-lted.33 Another study suggests that those children whoshow significant neurologic improvement within hoursafter successful CPR usually recover; those who do notare more likely to have a poor outcome.23

Despite these rather dismal data, in a study of 121drowned children, of whom 51 were in the C3 stage ofcoma (no response to pain, fixed/dilated pupils, absenceof spontaneous respiration, hypotension, and poor per-fusion as described by Conn et al. and Modell et al.19,73),Nussbaum92 found that with aggressive resuscitation asnoted above, 19 of 51 (37%) had complete recovery, 14of 51 (27%) had significant brain damage, and 18 of 51(35%) died. The correlates of outcome in the C3 groupwere submersion time, mean ICP, and mean cerebralperfusion pressure. Although the report of Nussbaum92

is encouraging, the fact that aggressive therapy is sooften unsuccessful suggests that the cerebral insult isrelated not to ICP per se but rather to the duration of theischemic injury. The mechanisms for this type of injuryhave been recently reviewed.93

A panel of experts was convened to discuss the subjectof brain resuscitation in the drowning victim in conjunc-tion with the World Congress on Drowning in 2002.Although they noted that there have been no specificcontrolled studies performed in drowning victims thatwould conclusively dictate a specific approach to ther-apy, they did make the following consensus recommen-dation. “The highest priority is restoration of spontaneouscirculation, subsequent to this continuous monitoring ofcore and/or brain (tympanic) temperatures is mandatory inthe ED and intensive care unit and to the extent possible inthe prehospital setting. Drowning victims with restorationof adequate spontaneous circulation who remain comatoseshould not be actively warmed to temperature valuesabove 32°–34°C. If core temperature exceeds 34°C, hypo-thermia (32°–34°C) should be achieved as soon as possibleand sustained for 12 to 24 h. Hyperthermia should be

prevented at all times in the acute recovery period. Thereis insufficient evidence to support the use of any neurore-suscitative pharmacologic therapy. Seizures should be ap-propriately treated. Blood glucose concentrations shouldbe frequently monitored and normal glycemic values main-tained. Although there is insufficient evidence to support aspecific target PaO2 or oxygen saturation during and afterresuscitation, hypoxemia should be avoided. Hypotensionshould also be avoided. Research is needed to evaluatespecific efficacy of neuroresuscitative therapies in drown-ing victims.”94 This recommendation is compatible withthe renewed interest in the use of “therapeutic hypother-mia” in treating victims of cardiac arrest from a variety ofcauses.95

TreatmentPrehospital Treatment. Most episodes of drowning

occur away from the hospital, and the initial prehospitaltherapy clearly affects patient outcome. The central is-sues that the rescuer must be concerned with whenencountering a drowned victim are: Is the victim breath-ing? Does the victim have a pulse? Has a cervical spineinjury occurred?

The main objective of out-of-hospital therapy is torestore normal ventilation and circulation and to normal-ize gas exchange, acid-base status, and the circulation asrapidly as possible. Thus, CPR must be initiated as soonas the rescuer encounters a drowned victim. If the victimis apneic, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation must be initi-ated immediately. Ideally, the procedure is begun in thewater if it can be done without putting the rescuer indanger. During mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, care mustbe taken to maximize forward movement of the jawrather than hyperextension of the cervical spine, be-cause cervical injury may be present. This point is espe-cially important in drowning cases thought to be relatedto diving.53 The importance of maintaining an adequateairway cannot be overemphasized. The drowning victimmay have swallowed large amounts of water beforelosing consciousness; therefore, gastric distension frominadequate mouth-to-mouth ventilation and/or respira-tory obstruction may cause the patient to regurgitate andaspirate stomach contents, with resultant aspirationpneumonitis.96 When the rescuer is able, the victimmust be evaluated carefully for the presence of a pulse.Severe bradycardia due to hypothermia, vasoconstric-tion, and/or hypoxia may make the arterial pulse difficultto palpate. If there is any question about the existence ofa pulse, closed chest cardiac compression must be initi-ated, and artificial ventilation continued until furtherhelp arrives.

As soon as more extensively trained individuals andequipment are available, other therapeutic modalitiesshould be considered. Ventilation with a bag-valve-maskdevice using 100% oxygen should be initiated as soon asavailable. CPAP will improve matching of ventilation to



perfusion; therefore, it should be initiated as soon asappropriate equipment is available. However, becauseCPAP will increase the mean intrathoracic pressure, itseffect on circulation should be monitored closely. In theunconscious or severely hypoxic patient or in a patientin whom the airway cannot be protected for some otherreason, an endotracheal tube should be placed for air-way protection and to facilitate mechanical ventilationand oxygenation. If that is not possible, a laryngeal maskairway or other emergency airway adjunctive measure,such as a King Tube, Combi-Tube, or cricothyrotomy,may be used. In addition, a large-bore intravenous cath-eter should be placed for fluid and drug therapy. Fluidtherapy is initiated with 0.9% saline solution. Drug ther-apy should be given as needed (e.g., epinephrine, atro-pine, bicarbonate, etc).

The subdiaphragmatic thrust (Heimlich) maneuver hasbeen recommended by Heimlich for use rather thaninitial CPR in the drowned victim.97,98 Previous work hasshown that water exiting the mouth after drowningcomes from the stomach, rather than the lungs.99 Athorough review of publications and testimony by theInstitute of Medicine in 1994 concluded that use of theHeimlich maneuver is inappropriate in treating drown-ing victims unless a foreign object is obstructing theairway.100 Use of this technique also may result in delayof effective CPR or in regurgitation and aspiration ofgastric contents, with consequences as serious as aspi-ration pneumonitis, respiratory failure, and death.100–102

Automatic electrical defibrillation devices are nowavailable to suggest when the patient may be in ventric-ular fibrillation and require an electric shock to termi-nate fibrillation. The rescuer should be cautioned, how-ever, that just because an electric complex, whichresembles a reasonable QRS complex, is seen on theelectrocardiogram screen, it does not mean that an ef-fective cardiac output is present, eliminating the need tocontinue cardiac compression.

Finally, no matter how well the patient appears, theymust be taken to a hospital for evaluation, as the initialappearance of the drowned patient may be misleading.Transport to the hospital should be carried out withbasic monitoring, including, at a minimum, pulse, bloodpressure, respiratory rate and pattern, electrocardiogra-phy, and pulse oximetry. Oxygen (100%) should beadministered en route until oxyhemoglobin analysis bypulse oximetry demonstrates that it can be reducedsafely with maintenance of hemoglobin/oxygen satura-tions in the mid 90s to high 90s.

Hospital Treatment. Initial hospital care should em-phasize pulmonary support, with treatment individual-ized to patient status. As soon as possible, arterial bloodgas values should be obtained to evaluate the adequacyof ventilation, acid-base status, and pulmonary gas ex-change.53 Supplemental oxygen administration shouldbe continued while obtaining data from arterial blood

gas measurements or a pulse oximeter to evaluate for thepresence of hypoxemia. Awake, alert, and cooperativepatients do not require tracheal intubation unless theirpulmonary pathology does not respond favorably to en-riching inhaled gas with oxygen, applying a CPAP mask,or both.53 All comatose patients require tracheal intuba-tion; those with a blunted mental status must be evalu-ated individually to determine what degree of airwaysupport is necessary.

Spontaneous breathing with CPAP added is preferred ifthe patient can support a sufficient degree of minuteventilation with intermittent mandatory ventilationadded to clear carbon dioxide. If this arrangement doesnot provide adequate ventilation, the patient is fullysupported with controlled mechanical ventilation andPEEP. Pressure-support ventilation (starting at 10 cmH2O) may be used to overcome work imposed by theendotracheal tube and breathing apparatus to spontane-ous breathing in adult patients.103,104

The CPAP or PEEP is titrated to maintain adequateoxyhemoglobin saturation (� 95%) while using the low-est possible FIO2. We attempt to keep the PaO2/FIO2 ratioabove 300 and the FIO2 below 0.5; a FIO2 below this levelis generally considered not to put the patient at risk foroxygen toxicity. Several controlled studies have shownthe effectiveness of CPAP with either mechanical orspontaneous ventilation to treat the hypoxemia associ-ated with drowning.53,55 Because the work of breathingwith CPAP is less than with PEEP, we recommend theformer for spontaneously breathing patients. In addition,Bergquist et al.56 found that adding mechanical breathsvia the use of intermittent mandatory ventilation toCPAP in otherwise spontaneously breathing animals thataspirated fresh water further decreased intrapulmonaryshunting.

Invasive hemodynamic monitoring is not required inmost patients. However, if there is concern as to theadequacy of intravascular volume, invasive monitoringmay be appropriate. While cardiac output may decreasewhen mechanical ventilation, PEEP, and CPAP are used,it will usually improve with fluid loading,35 and pro-longed inotropic support of the circulation is rarelyrequired.

In general, steroids have been shown to be ineffective intreating the pulmonary lesion of drowning and may, in fact,worsen outcome by interfering with the normal healingprocess.13,105,106 Antibiotics are appropriate when and ifthe patient develops signs of infection or in special cases,such as submersion in a grossly contaminated body ofwater. If the medium in which the individual suffered theirdrowning event was heavily contaminated, it is appropriateto use broad-spectrum antibiotics before obtaining bacte-rial cultures. Otherwise, antibiotic therapy should beguided by the results of bacterial cultures of tracheal secre-tions. Bronchospasm may be seen in these patients and



may be treated with either a metered dose inhaler ornebulized albuterol.

Pulmonary edema is a common finding after drowning.The application of CPAP or PEEP will recruit collapsedalveoli, better match ventilation to perfusion andthereby facilitate oxygenation while the underlying pul-monary injury recovers. Breaking the ventilator circuit tosuction or provide nebulized treatments after CPAP orPEEP have been optimized can lead to a rapid and ratherdramatic recurrence of pulmonary edema and hypox-emia. Thus, interruption of the ventilator circuit shouldbe minimized or avoided if possible.

Despite controversial data regarding the treatment ofICP, it is reasonable to consider placing an ICP monitor-ing device in comatose drowning victims as soon aspossible after arrival at the intensive care unit. Althoughmild hyperventilation (PaCO2 approximately 30 mmHg)has been used empirically to reduce ICP in patients withcerebral edema without an ICP monitor,107 we suggestthe use of an ICP monitoring device if hyperventilationwere to be considered in a comatose drowning victim. IfICP is elevated (20 mmHg or greater), hyperventilationto achieve a PaCO2 of 25 to 30 mmHg may be used in anattempt to decrease cerebral blood flow and therebydecrease the ICP while simultaneously keeping the ce-rebral perfusion pressure (defined as the mean arterialpressure – ICP) at 60 to 70 mmHg. It should be noted,however, that hyperventilation per se has not beenproven to specifically reduce ICP in comatose drowningvictims. A mannitol bolus, 0.25 g/kg ideal body weight,may be used to decrease ICP if hyperventilation alonedoes not produce the desired result. However, the dam-age to the brain in drowning is probably the result ofsevere hypoxia at the time of the injury as opposed tolate elevated ICP; elevated ICP in these patients may wellbe nothing more than a marker of damage already done.

Although there are some extremely interesting data onthe use of brain tissue oxygen monitoring in traumaticbrain injury,108 no studies of which we are aware haveused this technique in drowning victims.

The importance of prehospital care of drowning vic-tims is now understood, and we are now more adept atproviding it than we have ever been in the past. Patientswho receive early, effective basic cardiopulmonary lifesupport have an increased chance for normal survival.We are able to treat the pulmonary and cardiovascularcomplications of drowning quite successfully in mostcases. However, despite years of investigation, the issueof neurologic outcome has remained a stumbling blockthat we have been unable to surmount. It appears that,in the absence of hypothermia that may have occurredduring the drowning episode, aggressive brain resuscita-tion using current techniques is of questionable value interms of returning the patient to normal neurologic func-tion. Some suggest, however, that maintaining mild hy-pothermia (32–34°C) may be indicated for 12–24 h after

a drowning episode.94,95 Although there appear to be no“magic bullets” on the horizon, multiple agents – includ-ing free-radical scavengers, calcium channel blockers,prostacyclin/thromboxane manipulations, blockers ofexcitatory neuropeptides, and investigation of phenyt-oin have been studied after cardiac arrest.109,110

PreventionThe most important things we can do today to prevent

drowning deaths and a persistent vegetative state as aresult of drowning are to implement standards that gov-ern safe pool design, enforce rules that require adequate(at least 5-ft-high with self-closing latches) perimeterfencing around pools,111 instruct lifeguards in the latestmethods of waterfront surveillance and resuscitationtechniques, educate the public in prudent consumptionof alcoholic beverages in boating, pool, harbor, marina,and beach areas, impose severe sanctions against boatdrivers who are intoxicated, post signs in areas of dan-gerous underwater tow, encourage people to learn toswim and never swim alone, and instruct larger numbersof the general population in basic cardiac life support.

The authors thank Anita Yeager, B.S., Coordinator for Publications and Infor-mation Services, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College ofMedicine, and DeNae Flentje, A.S., Program Assistant, Self-Insurance Program,University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, for their assistancein editing and processing this manuscript.

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Page 1 of 1


Great Lakes

Activity Report

Date: May 29, 2010

President: Joe Pecoraro

Activities, Accomplishments, and Information (Since Prior Board of Directors Meeting)

1. There has been some great news to report ,the north shore beaches on lake Michigan have applied and have been approved as a chapter in the great Lakes region. This includes the towns of Evanston, Willmette, as well as several other life guard services. We are looking forward to working with these agencies and hope to expand our membership.

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The Gulf Cooooooooaaast Region

Activity Report


President: The Undertaker

Introduction

I hope everyone as had a good winter and look forward to seen ya’ll.


1. Supervisor Harrison is now full time and will be your hostess with the mostess in the hospitality suite.

2. The Galveston Island Beach Patrol has been working towards the formation of a multi-agency urban flooding response team called “Galveston Marine Response”. The primary goal is to coordinate response to a hurricane event. The group is being organized under the jurisdiction of the local emergency operation department. A secondary byproduct will be increased coordination and sharing of resources when responding to aquatic accidents on both the beachfront and the bays surrounding the island. The team will be able to integrate with the water response unit of “Texas First”, which is the state response team.

3. Coastal Coms have finished installation and the bulk of trouble shooting the system in Galveston. Coastal Coms is a sponsor for this meeting.

4. South Padre Island, on the southernmost part of the state of Texas has formed an aquatic response unit, working with the Galveston Beach Patrol. This group is working under the SPI Fire Department. They are planning to apply for USLA membership and working towards the formation of a lifeguard service.

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Mid-Atlantic Region

Activity Report


President: Ed Zebrowski

Introduction

Thank you to Tony Pryor and all the Galveston members for their efforts in hosting this meeting


1. Election of new officers at our December meeting. President Ed Zebrowski; Vice President Tim Ferry; Secretary Ed Zebrowski III; Treasurer Bart Mataliano; Advisor Tim Gallagher; Executive Delegate Buzz Mogck; Delegate Dave Foxwell; Second Delegate Denise Blair; Third Delegate Tom Perry.

2. Selection of the following for certification officers; Ed Kiziukiewicz, Tim Harmon, Buzz Mogck, Dave Foxwell, Andy Healy and Dave Shotwell.

3. Selected dates and locations for this year’s competition. For the first time in 15 years competition is not being held in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Captain Kent Buckson graciously offered to have the venue moved to Ocean City, MD to help them in their efforts to grow membership. Regional Championships will be contested as usual over two days. Non-craft events will be held July 14th in Ocean City, MD with the craft events to be held the following week July 21st in Long Branch, NJ. The Juniors will once again be held in Sea Girt, NJ on July 26th.

4. The New York City chapter is beginning a revival under the leadership of Janet Flash. While we know that the growth here will be slow we are hopeful that it will be constant and that the local politicians will take notice and give the guards the necessary support.

5. Cape May, NJ has signed the host agreement for the 2011 National Championships. It has been submitted and awaits the Board’s approval.

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Pacific Northwest Region

Activity Report

Date: April, 2010

President: Cathy VonWald

Introduction

Many thanks to the Gulf Coast Region for hosting this meeting. We look forward to a productive meeting.

Activities, Accomplishments, and Information

1. Competition- Location for 2010, first option: Lake Sonoma, second option: Lake Tahoe. Dates, first option: Wednesday, July 21, 2010, second option: Wednesday, July 28, 2010.

2. Last Regional Board meeting was held on Friday, February 13, 2010 in Truckee, CA.

3. Next Regional Board meeting will be held in Santa Rosa, CA – Friday, October 1, 2010.

4. Redwood Coast will continue its partnership with City of Santa Rosa to deliver a Junior Lifeguard Program at Spring Lake Park in Santa Rosa for the third summer.

5. Vamos a Nadar & Vamos a Ser Salvidas Programs will continue to be offered in 2010. A $15,000 grant has been received to expand the program state wide this year in cooperation with Red Cross.

6. Two AART Water Rescue classes were completed in the San Francisco Fire Department. Approximately 44 members of the department took part in the classes. Currently there are about 300 members of the Department that were either previously or currently certified Water Rescue members.

7. The PNW USLA looks forward to hosting the National Board of Director’s Meeting this Fall in Portland, Oregon. Watch for details.


1. The PNW USLA would like to recommend that members be given the option of receiving American Lifeguard Magazine electronically in order to reduce costs to the National Board.

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Pacific Islands Region

Activity Report


President: Ralph S. Goto


1. Hawaiian Lifeguard Association continues its efforts to support the 400 professional open water lifeguards in the State of Hawaii.

2. The economic crisis has affected all lifeguard operations in the State: furloughs, pay reductions and reduced services are being discussed, and in some cases, implemented. A proposed reduction in the counties’ share of the tourist accommodation tax will certainly affect the provision of lifeguard services on all four major islands

3. Serious discussions regarding the merger of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department and the Honolulu Fire Department continue. A Request for Proposals for hiring a consultant is forthcoming.

4. Despite these distractions, professional lifeguards in the region continue to provide the highest level of services to the residents of and visitors to the State of Hawaii.

5. The 2010 State of Hawaii Drowning Prevention and Ocean Safety Conference will be held August 12-13, followed by the State Junior Guard Championships on August 14, at Kalapaki Beach, Kauai.

6. The 2010 Dukes Oceanfest will be conducted August 22-29, 2010, in Waikiki. Events include the One Mile Swim, the Waterman Challenge, and the Surfboard WaterPolo Tournament.

Attachments

1. In October of 2009, Maui lifeguard supervisor Archie Kalepa rode the length of the Grand Canyon on a stand-up paddle board. View the story at:

http://www.globalsurfnews.com/news.asp?Id_news=43602

http://www.globalsurfnews.com/news.asp?Id_news=43602

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South Atlantic

Activity Report


President: Tom Gill

Introduction

Thanks you Galveston for another three days of Texas sized hospitality.


1. The SALA Winter Meeting was held in St. Augustine, Florida. While one cracked airplane windshield and 6 inches of snow kept the President from the meeting, it was well attended and the President sat in by conference call. Thanks to St. John’s County for a great meeting.

2. The SALA is proud to announce its Executive Board for the next two years, President Tom Gill (Virginia Beach), Vice President Ralph Wagner (Hilton Head, SC), Secretary Adrienne Groh (Charleston, SC), Co – Treasurers Mickey Hutto (Jacksonville, FL), Michael Bradley (Charleston, SC).

3. Thanks to Ralph Wagner and his crew for revitalizing the SALA Website – salausla.org.

4. The 2010 Competition will be held in Virginia Beach on July 14-15. More information is available on the SALA website.


1. As this is written, the date and location of the 2010 USLA National Championships is not confirmed. We do not assign blame, however we ask that the Board continue to work towards early signed contracts.

Page 1 of 2


Southeast Region

Activity Report


President: Joe McManus

Introduction

The Southeast Region (SER) thanks Galveston Lifesaving for hosting the USLA Board of Directors.

Activities, Accomplishments, and Information

1. SER is continuing to develop professional membership with the Florida DOH EMSAC. Lifeguardshave been added to the Florida EMS Strategic Plan for 2010 – 2012. This is a first! We will worktowards gaining legislation that will have a positive impact on the unacceptable rip current drowningnumbers in Florida.

2. SER has been nominated for the Florida Bureau of EMS’s Injury Prevention Award for 2009 (Seeattached Summary Statement).

3. Martin County lifeguard Dan Lund made appearances on national broadcast TV, including theToday Show, after performing a dramatic rescue of a shark bitten surfer. Dan’s bravery andhumility represent the best character traits of USLA lifeguards throughout the country. The SER isproud of Dan.

4. The SER Board approved a position statement related to a recently introduced Florida bill thatwould amend the beach safety flag program. In short, we oppose both the bill and the statute. Acopy of the position statement is attached to this report.

5. Recently I had an opportunity to write a guest column that was widely published in Central Florida.Adapting the 2001 CDC Lifeguard Effectiveness report, I updated some stats and attempted toshow the economical benefits of providing lifeguard protection in Florida. A copy of the column isattached to this report.

6. SER members McCrady, McManus, West and Shepard completed an Aquatic Safety Assessment& Recommendations report for the Gulf Coast of Alabama. Mr. McCrady’s visits to the area haveled to an acceptance of USLA standards in the area and an increased lifeguard force in the City ofGulf Shores. Good work, Jim! The document is attached to this report.

7. SER continues to work towards reducing the incidence of drowning in Panama City Beach andLauderdale-By-The-Sea. Eric Swanson of the Ft. Lauderdale chapter has based his MastersDegree thesis on the a study of drowning history in LBTS; the region will pursue a strategy for PCBwhich involves questioning the governor about his role in the global marketing of tourists to come tounprotected Florida beaches.

8. The Ft. Lauderdale Chapter is hosting an international competition/training event in July, 2010. SeeJim McCrady for details.

9. Destin Beach Safety will host SER Regional Championships this year on July 15-16, as well as theJunior Regional Competition on July 17.

10. SER purchased 1,000 USLA coloring books and 1,000 “Swim Near A Lifeguard” bumper stickers forchapter distribution this spring.


1. The SER Regional Board asks the Membership and Bylaws Committees to recommend to theboard a bylaw change to Article V Section 2A subparagraph 2 (Professional Membership) of the

Page 2 of 2

national bylaws to include the word “lifeguard” as a description of an employee who is eligible forprofessional membership in USLA.

2. The SER Regional Board has endorsed option 3 regarding Junior Lifeguard “AA” competitors (keepAA in Juniors but allow for non-lifeguard junior program instructors/assistants who receivecompensation to compete in Nationals) and requests the Junior Lifeguard Committee to likewiseapprove option 3 and bring it to the board for approval.

Attachments

1. Summary Statement for Florida EMS Injury Prevention Award.

2. SER Position Statement regarding Florida Senate Bill 0128.

3. SER president’s guest column published by Scripps News Group on February 20, 2010.

4. Alabama Beach Safety Report dated March 17, 2010.

1


Summary Statement

United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) is America’s non-profit, professional association ofbeach lifeguards and open water rescuers. USLA works to reduce the incidence of death and injury inthe aquatic environment through public education, national lifeguard standards, training programs,promotion of high levels of lifeguard readiness, and other means.1

United States Lifesaving Association is a founding member of the International LifesavingFederation (ILS). ILS is a global, non-profit federation of over 100 national lifesaving organizationsaround the world. ILS leads the worldwide effort to reduce injury and death in, on, or around thewater.2

Drowning is a global, national, and regional problem. With nearly 700 miles of accessible beaches inthe state of Florida, injury prevention in and around the aquatic environment is critical to the health,safety, and welfare of the state’s residents and visitors. Injury prevention work on Florida beaches,including ocean rescue, is largely accomplished through USLA certified lifeguard agencies, throughlocal USLA chapters and through the regional USLA Board of Directors (Southeast Region).

USLA Agency Certification Program:

USLA offers a national lifeguard agency certification program. In Florida, there are thirty-two (32)lifeguard agencies that are currently USLA certified. The USLA agency certification program isdesigned to standardize basic open water lifesaving techniques. It requires agencies to work withinestablished parameters to address local conditions. USLA certified lifeguard agencies in Florida haveendeavored to improve workforce safety, education, performance and satisfaction through adherenceto USLA guidelines. The agency certification program has also promoted improved outcomes inpatient care and safety through evaluation and benchmarking. In these ways, the USLA agencycertification program is linked to Goals 1 and 3 of the 2008-2010 Florida EMS Strategic Plan.

Initiative and Best Practices:

USLA certified agencies follow the guidelines for open water lifesaving programs and standardspromulgated by USLA.3 These guidelines establish both knowledge and skill objectives for individuallifeguards at the levels of open water lifeguard instructor, open water lifeguard trainee, seasonal openwater lifeguard, and full time open water lifeguard. USLA has calculated the chance a person willdrown while attending a beach protected by USLA affiliated lifeguards at 1 in 18 million(.0000055%). The USLA encourages lifeguard agencies to become certified at the advanced level,which requires full time lifeguards to maintain Emergency Medical Technician certification, andhourly personnel to maintain First Responder level certification. This creates and incentive for higherlevels of training. There are thirteen USLA advanced certified lifeguard agencies in Florida.

1 www.usla.org/2 http://www.ilsf.org/index.php?q=about/history/ils3 http://usla.org/Train%2BCert/USLA_Guidelines.pdf

2

Response to injury problems:

In 2009, Florida’s USLA certified lifeguard agencies reported an estimated 45.7 million visitors toFlorida beaches. These same certified agencies also reported 6,288 water rescues along Florida’scoasts. Perhaps even more indicative of lifeguard effectiveness, relative to injury prevention, were thenumbers of preventive actions performed by lifeguards in various Florida communities. Florida’sUSLA certified agency lifeguards logged over 500,000 actions to prevent injury or death in 2009,many directly linked to the prevention of drowning. Additionally, lifeguards who work for Florida’scertified agencies reported giving 324 water safety lectures, which involved nearly 30,000 students.Florida’s USLA Regional Board approved the purchase of 1,000 water safety coloring books for usein local communities and has made the coloring book template available free of charge to educators.The regional board purchased 2,000 “Swim Near A Lifeguard” bumper stickers, to reinforce themost important preventive action the beach going public can take. USLA volunteers workcontinually to address the mitigation of open water drowning deaths in communities around the statethat do not supply lifeguard protection. In 2009, after organizing a beach safety forum in PanamaCity Beach, that city funded a small public lifeguard agency for the first time in its history. In theirinaugural year, Panama City Beach lifeguards performed over 1,300 preventive actions and rescuedseven persons from drowning. There is, however, much work that needs to be done in this area.

Integration of injury prevention into emergency care:

USLA agency certification is guided by a curriculum that stresses injury prevention. A requiredresource of the program is Open Water Lifesaving: The United States Lifesaving AssociationManual.4 The manual provides information for the purpose of advancing techniques related to injuryprevention, including open water rescue skills. Moreover, the USLA lifeguard agency certificationcourse curriculum includes specific guidelines directly related to injury prevention, including:professional lifeguarding, environmental conditions, communications, record keeping and preventivelifeguarding.

Activity regarding injury prevention committees, task forces, or boards:

USLA operates on international, national, and regional levels. On the international level, USLA is amember organization of the International Lifesaving Federation (ILS). USLA President, B. ChrisBrewster, serves, on a volunteer basis, as President of the Americas Region of ILS. (The AmericasRegion is comprised of the countries within the Western Hemisphere.) USLA Liaison Officer, PeterDavis, serves, on a volunteer basis, as Regional Secretary General for the Americas Region. Throughthe efforts of Mr. Brewster, in a four year assignment as ILS Lifesaving Commissioner, along withother members of the ILS team, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently awarded ILS“Official Relations” status. In Mr. Brewster’s words, “With this official relationship, WHOacknowledges ILS as the world authority on the global effort to prevent drowning. ILS has enjoyedmany years of productive ‘unofficial relations’ with WHO and looks forward to expandedcollaboration to improve the global effort on drowning prevention. Since its inception, USLA hasbeen the sole Full Member of the ILS for the United States of America. Our link with the ILS alsolinks us to the WHO and further enhances the importance of our work in drowning prevention.”

Nationally, USLA sponsors National Beach Safety Week in an effort to remind beachgoers to usecaution in the aquatic environment. This campaign has broad support regionally. USLA has alsopartnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to produce an injury

4 2ND Edition, B. Chris Brewster, Editor ISBN 0-536-73735-5

3

prevention program promoting awareness of the dangers of rip currents. This program is known as“Break the Grip of the Rip”5 and signs explaining rip currents developed under this program areposted widely at Florida beach accesses.6 Dr. Peter Wernicki, USLA Medical Advisor, serves, on avolunteer basis, as co-chair of “The United States Lifeguard Standards Coalition,” which opened itsdraft outcomes document for public comment in 2009.7 The coalition mission was to research,identify and promote evidence-based standards for lifeguarding and water rescue.

Locally, the Southeast and South Atlantic regions of USLA jointly sponsor Rip Current AwarenessWeek, reminding beach visitors to be alert and knowledgeable about rip currents at surf beaches.8 In2009, the Southeast Region of USLA participated in the National Drowning Prevention AllianceSummit Meeting in Miami Beach. USLA members also participated, as a constituency group, in theFlorida EMSAC Strategic Visions Committee planning sessions in Claremont. This led to theinclusion of lifeguards in the Florida EMS Strategic Plan for 2010 – 2012.

5 http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/6 http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/signs-brochures.shtml7 http://www.lifeguardstandards.org/index.php?pg=home8 http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/news/2009/06/0608_01.htm

United States Lifesaving Association Southeast RegionPosition Statement

“An Act Relating To Beach Safety”Florida Senate Bill 0128

SB 0128 primarily seeks to amend statute 380.276, which has been enacted under Title XXVIII Natural Resources;Conservation, Reclamation, and Use.

The mission of the nonprofit United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) is to reduce the incidence of death andinjury in the aquatic environment through public education, national lifeguard standards, training programs,promotion of high levels of lifeguard readiness, and other means. The USLA Southeast Region (USLA SER),incorporated in the state of Florida as a 501(c)3 organization, opposes this bill for the following reasons:

1. SB 0128, as well as F.S. 380.276, which we also oppose, places a beach warning and safety flag programunder the direction and coordination of the Department of Environmental Protection, a department thatlacks both a public safety mandate and public safety policy expertise.

2. The existing warning flag system promulgated by the Department of Environmental Protection isinconsistent with internationally recognized beach warning flag standards established by the InternationalLife Saving Federation and the International Standards Organization (ISO)

3. SB 0128 seeks to expand this so-called “beach safety program” to all Florida beaches, regardless of thejurisdictional entity’s ability to discern the various danger levels of ocean currents and conditions.

4. SB 0128 seeks to absolve any and all jurisdictional entities supplying public access to designated bathingplaces from liability regardless of whether or not that entity has knowledge of dangerous conditions, andregardless of whether the entity has taken any meaningful steps, beyond the flying of flags, to prevent deathand injury in the ocean environment. Both an entity that provides lifeguard protection, for example, and onethat provides none, are given identical immunities, thus removing any incentive to provide protection.

5. SB 0128 seeks to define “Ocean Lifeguard” without describing the public safety nature of the work.

The Department of Environmental Protection’s Uniform Warning and Safety Flags program:The legislative intent to have state agencies “…plan for and assist in the display of uniform warning and safetyflags” may be honorable, but with the current program both planning and oversight have been deficient. Florida’sDepartment of Environmental Protection lacks both the subject matter expertise to plan and the funding to oversee abeach condition warning program. So far, the effectiveness of the current government-based program has not beendetermined. There are no studies known to us that have evaluated whether the program has any meaningful impacton the safety of tourists and local residents. There are, however, numerous documented instances of tourists andresidents who have died by drowning while flags were flying on Florida beaches, both before and after the programwas introduced. In nearly all of these instances, the victims died in areas without lifeguards - while warning flagswere flying. SB 0128 would encourage a perpetuation and expansion of this situation.

Expanding the “beach safety program” to all Florida beaches:Beach warning flags are intended for use by qualified lifeguards to help them in their efforts to prevent death aninjury; so says the International Lifesaving Federation (ILS). ILS enjoys “Official Relations” status with the WorldHealth Organization. The United States Lifesaving Association is the United States’ Full Member of ILS. USLA hasadopted the ILS position regarding beach safety flags, “Flags may help reduce the incidence of injury and drowning,but cannot assist those in distress. Therefore, these flags are only to be used on beaches where lifesavers qualified to

ILS standards are on duty. Flags are not an acceptable substitute for properly trained and equipped rescuers, butrather a tool for their use.”1

Absolving liability for injuries and death on Florida beaches:USLA-SER cannot support a bill that comprehensively absolves state and local governments of liability whileholding that government’s primary responsibility resides in its responsibility to provide for the health, safety, andwelfare of the public it serves. Blanket indemnity from liability, regardless of the level of safety protection offered,strikes us as an unwise approach from a policy perspective. Under this approach, existing incentives to provide goodquality public safety protection to prevent drowning would evaporate, to the detriment of the local public and thetourist economy. The bill’s liability language is apparently crafted to preempt operational negligence, which may beof concern where unqualified persons are encouraged by statute to fly warning flags. Without constant lifeguardsurveillance as the basis for flag color decisions, beachgoers will inevitably encounter flags that do not reflect actualdanger levels. Thus, beachgoers enter into dangerous conditions while presuming conditions are not dangerous.

This bill would allow a local entity to fly a flag indicating calm conditions 365 days a year, regardless of actualconditions, and would indemnify said entity from liability, even if the entity were intentionally deceiving the publicwith inaccurate information. This could create an incentive to promote tourism over the safety of the public andcould create serious distortions in the basic role of government to provide for the health and safety of citizens.

Even absent a statutory mandate for lifeguard protection, governments should take, and indeed many have taken,responsible action to protect beachgoers, action that goes beyond the placement of warning signs and flags. Themost responsible and effective approach to beach safety will always lie in the provision of professional lifeguardservices at public bathing areas. The United States Lifesaving Association has determined that the chance that aperson will die by drowning while attending a beach protected by USLA affiliated lifeguards is 1 in 18 million(.0000055%). This is based on the last ten years of reports from USLA affiliated lifeguard agencies, comparingestimated beach attendance to the number of drownings in areas under lifeguard protection. In fact, most drowningdeaths in Florida occur at unguarded beaches, which would be allowed to fly these flags and be indemnified by thatsole act.

Florida Tourist Development Councils market our beautiful beaches worldwide. State and local governmenteconomies depend on these visitors. Taking money from invited guests, failing to implement effective measures toprotect them from often perilous beach conditions, and then absolving entities from any liability is as disingenuousas it is dangerous. High drowning rates have been dramatically reduced, most recently in Brevard County andPanhandle area beaches, when lifeguard services were funded and deployed.

Defining “Ocean Lifeguard”:Including the “ocean lifeguard” job classification into statutes that protect other emergency services workers frombattery and assault would be a positive step towards the legislative recognition open-water lifeguards deserve. Thereis a great need for comprehensive legislation to address beach safety and open-water lifesaving issues in Florida.Definitions, minimum standards, certification, protection, and duties and responsibilities for firefighters, paramedics,and EMTs have been legislated, with oversight given to the Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency MedicalServices. This assures that high-quality EMS care is delivered efficiently and effectively statewide. Similarlegislation and codification for Florida’s open-water lifeguards currently does not exist and this bill does not comeclose to addressing these issues. These actions would be welcomed by the United States Lifesaving Association’sSoutheast Region.

For all of the above stated reasons USLA SER strongly opposes Senate Bill 0128.Endorsed March 8th, 2010 by:Joseph McManus, PresidentW. Gerard Falconer, Vice PresidentJo Wagenhals, SecretaryJohnathan Billings, TreasurerJames Hamilton McCrady V, AdvisorUSLA SER Legislative Action Committee, Dennis Ward, Chair

1 http://www.ilsf.org/index.php?q=rescue/iso-standards-beach-safety-information-flags

Aquatic Safety Assessment & Recommendations

Alabama Gulf Coast

Authors

James Hamilton McCrady VJoe McManus

Bob WestMelvin Shepard

United States Lifesaving Association Southeast Region

Issued: March 17, 2010

2010 Aquatic Safety Assessment Alabama Gulf Coast Page 2 of 35

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...................................................................................................3INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................5

Report Authors ...................................................................................................................8Lifesaving in Baldwin County ..............................................................................................9

The City of Orange Beach ..............................................................................................9The City of Gulf Shores................................................................................................10Gulf State Park .............................................................................................................11

BEST PRACTICES COMPARED TO EXISTING SERVICES........................................12Public Education...........................................................................................................12

Separating Incompatible Activities ..................................................................................16Lifeguard Services ...........................................................................................................17

Benefits of Lifeguard Protection ..................................................................................18Periods of Operation .....................................................................................................19Area of Responsibility ..................................................................................................19Staffing Levels..............................................................................................................20Staffing Locations.........................................................................................................20Observation Points........................................................................................................21Breaks ...........................................................................................................................22Equipment.....................................................................................................................22Responsibility and Management...................................................................................23Recruitment and Retention of Lifeguards.....................................................................24

Oversight Options ............................................................................................................25Research ...........................................................................................................................25Jurisdictional Issues .........................................................................................................26

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING A TOURIST ECONOMY ...............................27FUNDING OF AQUATIC SAFETY IN BALDWIN COUNTY .......................................29RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................31

Prevention Through Public Education .............................................................................31Emergency Services Planning and Management .............................................................32Lifeguard Staffing ............................................................................................................33Funding ............................................................................................................................34

RECOMMENDED REFERENCES....................................................................................35


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Between 2006 and 2009 there were sixteen (16) drowning deaths in the watersoff of beaches along the Alabama Gulf Coast. All of these tragic deaths happenedeither in areas where there were no open water trained lifeguards provided or at periodsof time when there were no lifeguards on duty. Of these deaths, thirteen (13) werevisitors who were either on vacation or in the area temporarily for work relatedreasons. The other three fatalities were residents of the area.

Drowning is a serious problem in coastal Alabama, which impacts residents andvisitors alike. For the victims, it can result in very serious injury or death. For familyand friends, it can result in loss of a loved one. For society, it can result in economicconsequences to families, the health system, and the tourism economy, since areputation for unsafe beaches can encourage tourists to go elsewhere.

Any untimely death or injury is a tragedy. However, these drowning deaths areparticularly tragic in that they occurred in a community where coastal recreation is thefocal point of life and a basis of a local economy dependent upon tourism. The trust ofthese visitors that they would be reasonably protected was violated.

There are a wide variety of methods that can be used to improve aquatic safety incoastal Alabama. To be successful, the issue must be addressed comprehensively.Public education is the first step. This includes education of residents, includinglearn-to-swim programs, and education of tourists. To be effective, public educationmust be pre-planned and implemented long before people visit aquatic areas.

Education alone will not prevent drowning. Some people will wish to swimregardless of the dangers, and even the best swimmers can be victims of drowning indangerous surf or current conditions. A proven way to prevent drowning is throughthe placement of professional lifeguard services in areas where people frequentlychoose to swim and during the months and times of the day to achieve maximalimpact. While beach lifeguards are presently provided in a few beach areas of theAlabama Gulf Coast, most beach areas have no protection whatsoever. A processmust therefore be implemented to identify the areas of greatest need and to takenecessary steps to make them safer. In coastal Alabama, this would includebeachfront areas offering public parking, municipal and state parks, popular publicaccess points, and beachside hotels, condominiums, and restaurants.

While the cost of providing lifeguard services has been raised as a concern, this is achallenge that must be met just as the cost of providing other public safety services(police, fire-rescue, EMS) has been addressed, since public safety is the mostfundamental expectation of citizens from government.

Leadership within the various government entities has indeed begun to emerge, andcity officials of both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are beginning to demonstrate thepolitical will needed to push through measures that will ameliorate an ongoing and,perhaps, growing problem. Officials of the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, as


well as of Baldwin County and the State of Alabama, should work together inaddressing these issues.

By continuing the efforts to expand lifeguard services and by implementing the specificrecommendations found at the end of this report, local governments in coastal Alabamacan significantly reduce the incidence of drowning death and injury, while enhancingthe quality of life for residents and protecting a vibrant and growing tourist industry.


INTRODUCTION

The Alabama Gulf Coast predominantly lies within Baldwin County. Baldwin County hasjust over forty (40) miles of beachfront facing the Gulf of Mexico. Along the coast, there areapproximately twelve (12) maintained public beach access points that attract recreationalusers. These areas are located as follows: in the City of Orange Beach there are four (4)beachfront accesses that are state owned, in the City of Gulf Shores there are three (3)beachfront accesses that are state owned and five (5) that are owned by the City of GulfShores. There are seventy-two (72) private beach entries at hotels, resorts, andcondominiums in Orange Beach and fifty-two (52) private beach entries at hotels, resorts,and condominiums in Gulf Shores. Development is concentrated in the 14-mile stretchbetween the City of Orange Beach and the City of Gulf Shores.

The three government entities that maintain and manage beaches within this area are:Alabama Gulf State Park, the City of Gulf Shores, and the City of Orange Beach. Thelargest city on the barrier island, the City of Gulf Shores, is an established and well-knowntourist destination. In addition to the areas we visited during site assessments, there remainapproximately twenty (20) additional miles of beachfront to the west of Gulf Shores thatwas not visited, as well as the area within the Town of Dauphin Island, located in MobileCounty, which has also had a significant problem with drowning incidents.

According to Census 2000, the population of Baldwin County was officially recorded at140,415 residents. Because of its beaches, Baldwin County is a popular destination forvisitors from all over the nation and world. Tourism, as an industry impacting coastalAlabama, has contributed to the county’s explosive population growth since the 1990's.Today, out of Alabama's sixty-seven counties, Baldwin County remains one of the top threefastest growing in population and tourism.1

It is no wonder that it is popular with tourists, with some of the most beautiful white-sandbeaches anywhere in the world. Aquatic areas are an integral aspect of Baldwin County’srich offerings, but like all aquatic areas, they harbor hazards that can prove deadly. Suchhazards can be effectively minimized, but presently there appears to be no comprehensiveaquatic safety plan. Deadly drowning incidents are therefore an ongoing and an all toofrequent reality.

Coastal Baldwin County offers an extraordinary resource for aquatic recreation, for localresidents and tourists alike. The Alabama Tourism Department entices beachgoers byoffering, “Something magical happens when you visit the Alabama Gulf Coast. … Maybeit's the sound of waves gently lapping at the shore … Perhaps it's the white sand andsparkling emerald water of the Alabama beaches.” 2 Indeed, the Alabama Gulf CoastConvention & Visitors Bureau asks, “Wondering where to plant your beach umbrella? You'llfind a variety of public beaches in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama - each special in

1http://www.co.baldwin.al.us

2http://www.alabama.travel/things-to-do/activities/beaches/


its own way and each offering a different experience. Try 'em all and see which fits youbest.”3

From 2005 to 2009, Gulf Coast beaches in Baldwin County experienced numerous aquaticrelated injuries and deaths. In addition to the concern felt for the personal tragedy suffered bythe families of those impacted, there is ongoing concern both for the future safety of residentsand visitors, as well as the impact this issue may have on the tourism industry. With similarsurf conditions, and without adequate levels of lifeguard protection, these aquatic relateddeaths will continue unabated. This would undoubtedly have a negative impact on coastalBaldwin County’s tourism. It is more difficult to recover from a bad reputation than tomaintain a good one, and so it is with tourism. If the area garners a reputation for unsafebeaches, particularly in light of the enhancements to beach safety along the FloridaPanhandle beaches, it will take increasingly profound efforts to recover from a flaggingtourist economy.

At the request of Alabama State Representative Steve McMillan, United States LifesavingAssociation Southeast Region (USLA SER) members conducted an onsite aquatic safetyassessment, as Baldwin County is within USLA SER boundaries. This effort was spearheadedby USLA SER Advisor, Jim McCrady, and assisted by members of the Emerald CoastChapter (ECC) of USLA SER. All time, materials, and other expenses were covered either bythe USLA Southeast Region or by individuals involved. The Gulf Coast Convention andVisitors Bureau and Brett-Robinson donated accommodations and meeting rooms. Theirinterest and generosity is admirable and greatly appreciated.

The primary goal of this report is to assess the state of beach safety along the Gulf Coast ofAlabama and to recommend ways of reducing the incidence of drowning. The authors believethat any responsible community that promotes its beaches for tourism has an obligation toensure a reasonable degree of public safety on those beaches. In that regard, we agree with theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, which has stated, “... if a communitydevelops water recreational facilities to attract patrons who spend money in the local area,then it can be argued that the community has an obligation to protect these patrons. Whenweighing the costs and legal implications of interventions to prevent drowning, decisionmakers should never lose sight of the enormous importance of protecting people from harmand preventing tragedy at beaches and pools, places where people go for pleasure, for health,and for solace.”4

While USLA SER tends to focus on the human tragedy of drowning, the authors are cognizantof the fact that improvements in beach safety will have very positive effects on tourism. Duringour on-site visits, meetings, and interviews, many participants expressed the desire to seemeaningful change in the level of public safety offered at Gulf front beaches – for bothreasons.5

3 http://www.gulfshores.com/things-to-do/beaches/4 Branche CM, Stewart S. (Editors). Lifeguard Effectiveness: A Report of the Working Group. Atlanta:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2001.

5 Persons interviewed, as well as those who attended our forums, expressed near unanimity that the "problem”to be addressed was how to fund the provision of more lifeguards on an extended basis.


For reference, a partial list of those whom contributed to this report, or attended the BeachSafety Workshop conducted when the taskforce visited coastal Baldwin County in March,2008:

Steve McMillan – Alabama State Representative Trey Myers – Assistant Superintendent of Gulf State Park Pete Blalock – Mayor, City of Orange Beach Jeff Silvers – Council Member, City of Orange Beach Jeff Moon – City Administrator, City of Orange Beach Preston Pooser – Parks and Recreation Director, City of Orange Beach Forney Howard – Fire Chief, City of Orange Beach Billy Wilkens – Police Chief, City of Orange Beach Greg Duck – Assistant Police Chief, City of Orange Beach Harold Samples – Parks and Recreation Director, City of Gulf Shores Keith Martin – Fire Rescue, City of Gulf Shores Gary Wise – President ECC, Chief of Beach Safety, South Walton Fire District Joe D’Agostino – Vice-President ECC, Chief of Beach Safety, Destin Fire Control

District Felix Romero – Membership Director ECC, Destin Fire Control District Tracy Vause – Treasurer ECC, Chief of Beach Safety, Okaloosa County Public

Safety Dave Meadows – Secretary ECC, Sunset Beach Services Melvin Shepard –Aquatics Coordinator, City of Orange Beach; Alabama Panhandle

Representative for USLA Bob West – Development Committee ECC, Director of Public Safety, Santa Rosa

Island Authority (SRIA) Bill Soltz – Development Committee ECC Council Vaughan – Lifeguard Supervisor, SRIA W.A. “Buck” Lee – Executive Director, SRIA

This is not an official report of the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA). It is aneffort by the authors to provide those concerned about beach safety in Baldwin County withthe best available information and advice to achieve the goals of promoting public safety andlimiting liability exposure at Gulf front aquatic areas in and adjacent to its confines. It is based,in part, on prior reports issued to other communities in the United States by colleaguesaddressing similar issues. Past reports of this nature have resulted in very positive changes inbeach safety services in several communities. No advice or action can ensure 100% safety orprotection from drowning or subsequent liability, but prudent steps can greatly heighten thelevel of safety and also lessen liability exposure. Thus, this report is not intended to be awarranty, but rather it is the advice of professional open water lifesavers with a provenrecord in this discipline.


While this report contains both site-specific assessments and recommendations regardingenhancing safety on Gulf Coast beaches in Alabama, much of this report is intended to raisethe general reader’s understanding of all aspects of a comprehensive drowning preventionstrategy.

Report Authors

James Hamilton McCrady V ([email protected]) has been involved in aquaticsafety for over 25 years. He is Advisor to the Southeast Region of the United StatesLifesaving Association, and he has held the regional offices of President, Vice President,and Secretary. He serves as a Lieutenant/EMT for Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue. Lt.McCrady has been a presenter at National Drowning Prevention Coalition’s NationalSymposium (2006), the Florida State Beach Safety Educational Workshop (2005), andserved on the authoring committee of the “USLA Open-Water Swim Race & TriathlonSafety Guidelines (2004),” and “Training and Equipment Guidelines for Rescuers UsingPersonal Watercraft as a Rescue Tool (2004).”

Joe McManus ([email protected]) serves as President of the Southeast Region ofthe United States Lifesaving Association (www.uslaser.org) and as Vice-President ofUSLA (www.usla.org). Joe is a Lieutenant/EMT for Indian River County Ocean Rescue,Florida. He is President of the Florida Open Water Lifesaving Constituency Group,which is a member of the Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Services’Advisory Council.

Bob West serves as Vice-President of the Emerald Coast Chapter of USLA and is Directorof Public Safety for the Santa Rosa Island Authority.

Melvin R. Shepard Jr. is a native of coastal Alabama and has been involved in aquatics for10 years. He is currently the Aquatics Coordinator for the City of Orange Beach and avolunteer for the United States Lifesaving Association as a Regional Training Officer andthe Alabama Panhandle Representative. He is a Lifeguard Instructor, Water SafetyInstructor and CPR/First Aid Instructor Trainer for the American Red Cross.

NOTE: This report has been excerpted, in part, and adapted from the Aquatic SafetyAssessment & Recommendations for Santa Rosa Island, Destin, and Brevard County,Florida, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, published by USLA members faced withsimilar issues. B. Chris Brewster was a major contributor to the information found in each ofthose reports.


LIFESAVING IN BALDWIN COUNTY

The City of Orange Beach

The City of Orange Beach posts no lifeguards at the public beaches within its boundaries. Areason given for this by local officials is that public access points for beaches located withincity limits are owned by the State of Alabama. No law or regulation, of which the authorsare aware, would prevent Orange Beach from offering lifeguard protection. Orange Beachsafety personnel respond to emergency calls to these beaches for swimmers in distress andother medical-related injuries through the 9-1-1 emergency call system.

The City of Orange Beach sought involvement with USLA in 2005, after three city firefighters nearly died while responding to a “swimmer in distress” call. The event occurred inApril of 2004; the surf was rough and the fire fighters were not optimally trained for thissituation. As they entered the water to rescue the victims, they too were caught in ripcurrents and needed to be rescued.

After this near-tragic event, the City of Orange Beach contacted Jim McCrady, thenpresident for the Southeast Region of USLA, to get information regarding aquatic safetytraining. A surf lifesaving academy, sponsored by the City of Orange Beach, was scheduledfor March of 2005. Many fire fighters and city lifeguards attended the week-long academy.

Since then, the City of Orange Beach has hosted three USLA Surf Lifesaving Academies,which were presented by Training Officers from the USLA Southeast Region. Additionally,Orange Beach has sent three lifeguards through the USLA Southeast Region TrainingOfficers Academy in South Florida.

The Orange Beach Aquatics Coordinator, with assistance from the Aquatics Manager of theCity of Orange Beach Parks and Recreation Department, maintains a beach flag warningsystem seven days a week throughout the year, maintains a voice recorded phone system fordaily surf conditions, provides information to a local radio station which broadcasts a dailysurf report, and works with the media to help inform beach goers about any dangerousconditions. Additionally, City Aquatics staff provides beach-safety presentations to localschoolchildren.

In the summer of 2009, the City of Orange Beach started a Beach Patrol that utilizesAquatics Center lifeguards who have successfully completed the USLA Southeast RegionSurf Lifesaving Academy. Their task is to patrol the near seven (7) miles of beachfront inOrange Beach and respond to swimmer in distress calls, as well as various other emergencycalls.

At the present time when a “swimmer in distress” call is sent out, the Fire Departmentresponds to these calls. The Orange Beach Parks and Recreation Department has expressedan interest in coordinating aquatic emergency response with surf-trained lifeguards as well.


The City of Gulf Shores

Lifesaving began in the City of Gulf Shores in the 1950’s. The city stationed “BeachAttendants”6 at the main Public Beach area, which is still guarded today. The Gulf Shoreslifesaving operation has grown over the years and today they staff six (6) towers and staffthe beach with ten (10) seasonal beach attendants. There are six public beach accesseswithin city limits; four of these areas have restroom facilities and vending machines.

The city uses a Beach Warning Flag system and Rip Current Safety signs to help informbeachgoers of the dangers in the gulf, and this system is consistent with that recommendedby the International Life Saving Federation. It also uses an automated phone system thatgives daily surf conditions for the public beach. Beach attendants work under the Parks andRecreation Department, and staff the beach from March 1 until Labor Day. BeachAttendants are deployed to fixed locations seven days per week from the end of May untilLabor Day, 9 am until 7pm, except on “red flag” days, when beach attendants are presentuntil sunset.

In 2008, beach attendants received an emergency response vehicle and a new personalwatercraft, in addition to an ATV that is used to transport equipment and assist beachpatrons during an emergency. They utilize basic life support medical equipment, includingoxygen delivery and AEDs. There is a nationally certified EMT employed to work the beach,as well as two USLA Southeast Region trained Training Officers. The beach attendantsrespond to all distress calls that occur along the beach in Gulf Shores, while they are on duty.Additionally, they provide mutual aid to the beach attendants at the Gulf State Park BeachPavilion.

Many of the lifesavers in Gulf Shores have attended a USLA Southeast Region Academy inthe past. In fact, the City contacted USLA Southeast Region in 2004 to have instructorsteach an academy for their employees. Since then they have sent beach attendants throughthe training every year. The Parks and Recreation Department is making great strides to helpensure the safety of everyone who uses their beaches for recreation and enjoyment. Thispast year they sent four beach attendants through the USLA Southeast Region PWCoperator’s course taught in Orange Beach, and they intend to send additional beachattendants through future courses.

Recently, Mayor Robert Craft announced the city’s plan to expand lifeguard coverage in2010. The mayor reportedly stated, "We're not, at this time, going to be able to patrol thewhole beach, but in this high density area where you've got a majority of the people, we cando a better job than we've been doing."7 Plans include the additions of a tower, beachattendants and a personal watercraft for the 2010 season. The tower and PWC will be placedat the Callaway Pass to the west of the main guarded beach. This is an area that has loggedseveral drowning deaths in the past. In addition, safety planners intend to utilize a JohnDeere Gator for daily patrol of unguarded beaches.

6 “Beach Attendant” is a job title given to an employee who otherwise performs duties that are consistent withthose of a lifeguard.7 Press Register, December 12, 2009 http://blog.al.com/live/2009/12/gulf_shores_to_add_lifeguards.html


The authors of this report applaud the mayor’s position and encourage the maximalexpansion of services in those areas with a well documented drowning history.

Gulf State Park

Gulf State Park has, for many years, employed beach attendants at the Gulf State ParkBeach Pavilion which is located between the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. Thisbeach is roughly 2,000 feet in length. State employed beach attendants are required to becertified lifeguards through the American Red Cross and must possess CPR and First Aidcertificates as well. The employer accepts a Southeast Region USLA Lifesaving Academycompletion certificate in lieu of other aquatic safety certificates.

There are three (3) stands from which the beach attendants provide coverage. The attendantsutilize rescue boards and other rescue equipment for emergencies. In addition, they use anATV for transporting equipment and patrolling the beach area.

Gulf State Park has incorporated a Beach Flag Warning system, which is consistent withthat recommended by the International Life Saving Federation.

The Alabama State Legislature envisions a time when there will be a hotel/conventioncenter complex within Gulf State Park and has passed a bill to that end.8 This act isconsistent with increased tourism marketing efforts currently underway.

8 Code of Alabama Chapter 9 Title 14B Section 9-14B-1


BEST PRACTICES COMPARED TO EXISTING SERVICES

To achieve the greatest possible degree of success, particularly in the relatively uncontrollednatural environment of surf beaches, the promotion of aquatic safety should be approachedin the broadest possible manner. This includes taking steps to educate people prior to visitinga beach area about potential hazards and methods to mitigate them; taking steps on-site toprovide similar information; taking reasonable steps to promote safe behavior at thelocation; maintaining a system to recognize and respond effectively to emergencies in atimely manner; and preparing to treat and evacuate injured people professionally andexpeditiously. Such steps are ideally taken as a collaborative effort with all concernedindividuals and organizations likely to offer meaningful support.

Public Education

One of the most cost effective ways of promoting aquatic safety is through public educationbefore the visitor ever arrives at an aquatic venue. Once the visitor arrives, additional publiceducation efforts can further enhance public safety. In both cases, a variety of strategies canbe employed. In addition to the direct benefit of enhancing public safety, these strategies canproduce excellent public relations benefits for the community.

Learn-to-Swim Programs

The International Life Saving Federation has found that learn-to-swim programsmeaningfully improve the safety of a population.9 Locally, the promotion of learn-to-swimprograms for youth and adults will result in a higher number of people in the communitywith swimming skills. If the curriculum is appropriately tailored, such training will includesteps students can take to avoid injury from aquatic hazards to themselves and others.

In a community with a large expanse of accessible open water, learn-to-swim programsshould include basic information about rip currents, which have been demonstrated by theUSLA to be the cause of over 80% of rescues from drowning by lifeguards at surf beaches.Even accomplished swimmers can be overpowered by rip currents, so merely teachingpeople to swim is an inadequate approach. They must also be instructed about activities andcircumstances that can threaten their safety and how to avoid them (or extricate themselvesfrom them). Training courses should be adjusted to address the hazards that have causeddrowning deaths.

Learning to swim enhances quality of life for those who learn and their families. People withswimming skills are safer, have access to a variety of jobs that require swimming, haveexpanded recreational opportunities, and likely live more active and healthier lives.

9 Position Statement: Swimming and Water Safety Education; International Life Saving Federation; 2007


Junior Lifeguard Programs

Many lifeguard agencies throughout the United States sponsor junior lifeguard programs.These programs are typically well received in the local community, exposing youth to watersafety information and a taste of what it is like to be a lifeguard. Junior lifeguards provide anexcellent potential resource for future employed lifeguards, and thus the programs can beconsidered, in part, a recruiting tool. The City of Orange Beach operates a junior lifeguardprogram; three instructors are dedicated solely to the program which averages 35 participantsper year. The City of Gulf Shores is encouraged to operate a similar program.

Most junior lifeguard programs with which we are familiar are self-funded, throughtuition. Some even help raise revenue for the sponsoring organization. Some junior lifeguardprograms in the United States have in excess of 1,000 participants each year and have beensuccessfully providing services to their communities for decades. Tuition can be charged tothose able to pay and scholarships can be offered to those unable to pay. This can greatlybroaden youth aquatic safety in a community.

Off-Site Public Education

A variety of strategies can be employed to educate both local residents and visitors regardingaquatic safety. As previously mentioned, thirteen of the victims of drowning in BaldwinCounty between 2006 and 2009 were tourists, so targeting this group would be of particularvalue.

Public service advertising can be utilized. Radio, television, billboard, newspaper, and phonebook advertising are some examples. A simple example of the type of information thatcould be provided is the location and hours of beaches with lifeguard protection andencouragement to swim only in lifeguard protected areas.

For tourists, brochures placed in hotel rooms and welcome videos can be effective approachesto education. Advisory materials can be downloaded and copied from the USLA/NOAA ripcurrent education program and provided to Gulf front businesses.10

Local government websites can provide information about lifeguard tower locations withdates and times lifeguards are on duty. The site could include water safety tips. Tourismwebsites can reach visitors pre-arrival and act as a reference for tourist industry employees.Providing local government and business employees who are likely to come in contact withtourists with basic aquatic safety information is also of great value. These personnel, thoughrarely experts in aquatic safety, may often be asked for water safety information, such as,“Where’s the safest place to swim?” They need to be prepared to provide clear, accurateadvice or refer inquiries to more authoritative sources of information.

Recorded beach safety telephone information lines are another way to disseminateinformation. If updated at least daily, preferably in the early morning, as well as accordingto condition changes, such lines can provide valuable safety information, basic weather,tides, and referrals. Telephone information lines can be a useful reference for tourism industry

10 http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/


employees, as well as all beach users. Services of this nature can be very popular in acommunity and provide an opportunity to weave safety advice into the daily updates.Examples can be heard at 619-221-8824 and at 954-828-4597.

Lifeguard agency staffs from all over the country have been engaged in various beach safetyprojects throughout their local school districts for years. These projects include regular visitsby surf-trained lifeguards to elementary, middle and high schools, conducting assemblies ondrowning prevention and participating in career days. Meeting with area hoteliers, churchgroups, and homeowner’s associations will undoubtedly help educate countless numbers ofresidents and visitors. However, a single employee or designee cannot shoulder thisresponsibility, as one person cannot adequately address all the needs for public safetyeducation. This must be a community initiative to ensure the proper education and protectionof beach visitors.

On-Site Passive Public Education

On-site, passive public education includes flags, signs, and similar approaches intended toinform the visitor. While these measures may appease liability exposure concerns, theireffectiveness at preventing injury and death is unproven. Some prudent peopleundoubtedly observe them and adhere to the admonitions, thus lessening the likelihood ofencountering problems. Others may not see them at all. Some may observe them, but ignorethe message. Still others may observe them, but fail to understand them, or simply forget themessage. Nevertheless, providing useful and understandable information undoubtedly hassafety and liability protection benefits.

Flags

Local governments in Baldwin County have employed a beach warning flag system in aneffort to advise the public of the relative danger of gulf conditions. These flags are intendedto provide general information on ocean conditions at the time they are flown. But flags areflown on both guarded and unguarded beaches, inconsistent with recommendations of theInternational Life Saving Federation.

Flags alone are of limited value, as has been demonstrated by drowning deaths and near deathsthat have occurred despite their presence. While flags can help notify beach users of generalconditions, they do not identify specific problems in specific areas.

To be fully effective, the placement of warning flags and all public serviceannouncements should be based on some measurable criteria that can be logged, tracked,and changed with the conditions. Lifeguard presence is needed to accomplish this on-siteeducation strategy. The United States Lifesaving Association recognizes the positionstatement on use of warning flags, which is published by the International Life SavingFederation (ILS) and thus applicable worldwide.

ILS states, “Because of the need to be present to monitor the conditions, and possibly tochange flags, these systems should only operate during a prescribed and well publicizedperiod each day… Flags may help reduce the incidence of injury and drowning, but cannotassist those in distress. Therefore, these flags are only to be used on beaches where


lifesavers qualified to USLA/ILS standards are on duty. Flags are not an acceptablesubstitute for properly trained and equipped rescuers, but rather a tool for their use.” 11

Signs

Beach signs typically explain beach and water ordinances. They can also be used toexplain known hazards and to recommend safe behavior. As an example, since a commonhazard at all ocean beaches is the presence of rip currents, placing a sign that explains thishazard and how to extricate oneself in the absence of a lifeguard may save lives. The UnitedStates Lifesaving Association and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationhave jointly developed signs for placement at ocean beaches. Like flags, however, signsalone are of limited value.

In Baldwin County, local municipal, county and state government entities have had apositive impact by placing beach safety signs at most public accesses along the coast. Thesesigns are consistently maintained throughout the year by city and park staff and areundoubtedly observed by many beach-goers. These signs have been supplemented atmost beach access points with the aforementioned USLA/NOAA signs.

On-Site Active Public Education

The concept of on-site active public education refers to on-site personnel who inform visitorsabout rules and safe practices. They can also intervene when behavior threatens public safety.In the beach environment, lifeguards would generally be most effective. This is because thelifeguard can, in addition to other services, provide aquatic rescue services to preventdrowning.

With respect to drowning prevention, the United States Lifesaving Association estimates thetypical lifeguard effects at least 100 preventive actions for every effected rescue. A typicalpreventive action involves warning swimmers to move away from an area where a ripcurrent is forming. Preventive actions may also be beach oriented, such as moving peoplethrowing a ball away from crowded areas where they may run into others. This critical roleof lifeguards enhances the experience of beachgoers, while reducing the number of injuries,deaths, and rescues that must be performed.

11 See: http://www.ilsf.org/index.php?q=en/rescue/iso-standards-beach-safety-information-flags


Separating Incompatible Activities

There are a wide variety of activities practiced at aquatic areas. These activities are sometimesincompatible. Conflicts can arise and these may escalate into disputes that can threatenpublic safety. An effective practice in promoting beach and water safety is taking steps toseparate incompatible activities. An obvious example of incompatible activities is surfingand swimming. A swimmer can easily be injured or even killed by a surfboard, so it isimportant to separate these activities to the greatest extent possible. Other potentiallyincompatible activities include fishing and swimming. It is critical to separate jet-skisfrom swimmers. Lifeguards are usually in a position to evaluate these issues and manageactivities both in the water and on the beach. This can reduce the potential for injury andliability. This management can also greatly enhance the enjoyment of visitors.

A review of Baldwin County, Orange Beach, and Gulf Shores ordinances related to beachand marine activities shows that prohibitions exist as to alcohol consumption and bringinganimals onto beaches. An Orange Beach ordinance regulates the use of jet skis and otherpersonal water craft under the legislative intent to “promote the public safety, health andwelfare of the citizens of the city and the tourists and guests visiting or vacationing in thecity; to protect the lives and limbs of those persons bathing, surfing, wading or swimming inthe Gulf of Mexico.”12 While this ordinance shows the municipality’s intent to providesafety measures, there is no legislation that addresses the real problem of drowning onbeaches within city limits.

There are trends and developments in the recreational use of the beach and gulfenvironment that may warrant further beach safety legislative action. Examples of thismight include ordinances to regulate surfing, kite-surfing and skim boarding activities. Theintent is not to restrict enjoyment of the coastline, but to ensure that activities practiced byone person do not unduly endanger others and that prudent safety practices are in place.

12 City of Orange Beach Code of Ordinances Section 78.21


Lifeguard Services

Public education and separating incompatible activities can be expected to reduce theincidence of injury and death, perhaps markedly. They certainly demonstrate a sincerecommunity effort to protect residents and tourists alike. These actions alone, however, willnot prevent drowning. In this regard, they can be compared to public education regarding safedriving practices or fire prevention. No matter how much funding is devoted to these efforts,traffic and fire deaths still occur daily in the U.S. In fact, drowning deaths are more prevalentthan fire deaths;13 hence, in addition to public education, communities provide police,firefighters, and emergency medical services.

Despite best efforts, some will not be exposed to aquatic safety related public education.Others will ignore it. Still others, despite being knowledgeable, will overestimate theircapabilities or simply be overwhelmed by unexpected water conditions. They may fall intothe water or be aboard a vessel that sinks. Medical problems, like heart attacks and seizures,can strike swimmers unexpectedly and cause immediate, life threatening problems,regardless of water conditions. Children are particularly susceptible. Drowning is thesecond leading cause of injury-related death for children in the U.S. (aged 1 through 14years), accounting for 746 deaths in 2005.14 Moreover, many people who die from drowningare would-be rescuers who felt compelled to assist others in the absence of the availabilityof professional rescuers.

In 2009, 22 ocean lifeguard agencies in the Southeast Region reported to USLA that theyhad performed over 6,000 rescues from drowning.15 By and large, these rescues take placein municipalities with strong public education programs and waterfront managementsystems in place. Absent the availability of lifeguards, many of these incidents of distress inthe water would have unquestionably resulted in death. As well, these same agencies reportedthat they had performed over 57,000 medical aids, over 500 of which required medicalassistance beyond first aid (i.e. typically ambulance transport and hospital treatment).

Without lifeguards on duty, many of those injured would have suffered needlessly andsome would certainly have died. Moreover, the presence of on-site lifeguards undoubtedlyreduced the number of ambulance emergency runs in response to minor, non-life-threateningbeach related incidents, thus preserving the immediate availability of this critical resource forother emergencies in the community.

Statistics kept by the United States Lifesaving Association demonstrate that the chance of adrowning death in an area under the protection of lifeguards affiliated with USLA is 1 in 18million. Clearly, lifeguards can significantly enhance public safety. Even in areas with veryhigh, year-round beach attendance, like Hollywood or Daytona Beach, when lifeguardstrained to USLA standards are on duty, drowning deaths are extremely rare.

13 Nationally, in 2005, there were approximately 900 more drowning deaths than fire related deaths of peoplebetween the ages of 1 and 65. (See http://www.cdc.gov.ncipc/wisqars/)14 ibid15 See United States Lifesaving Association http://www.usla.org/Statistics/public.asp (accessed 1/03/10)


Benefits of Lifeguard Protection

Only a small portion of Baldwin County’s coastline is protected by lifeguards, and inlifeguard protected areas there are variances in the ways lifeguards are deployed. Some ofthe beaches with the lowest apparent hazard levels have relatively extensive lifeguardprotection, while the beaches with the greatest hazards have none. This is a result of thearea’s different jurisdictions and the policies of the respective government agenciesresponsible for safety oversight.

The Centers for Disease Control Lifeguard Effectiveness report states, “Most drownings arepreventable through a variety of strategies, one of which is to provide lifeguards in publicareas where people are known to swim and to encourage people to swim in those protectedareas.” 16 When beaches are staffed with lifeguards, a number of considerations areimportant. The lifeguards must be qualified, trained, equipped, and staffed to a level that isadequate to ensure a suitable level of safety, both for the general public and for the lifeguardsthemselves. A clear chain of command for responses to aquatic emergencies must be in place.This establishes who is in charge at emergency scenes, what backup resources are available,and the roles of all parties involved.

USLA has developed a comprehensive program that addresses minimum recommendedqualifications, training, and equipment for beach lifeguard agencies. The program is outlinedin the publication, Guidelines for Open Water Lifeguard Agency Certification, which isavailable at no cost from the Certification section of the USLA website.17 USLA promulgatesthe only national certification program for ocean lifeguard services in the United States.Currently, there is no lifeguard agency in the state of Alabama that holds a USLA agencycertification.

USLA also promulgates a companion national certification program for non-lifeguardresponders to ocean rescues, which is designed for firefighters, sheriff deputies, andothers who respond to these incidents. This program is outlined in the publication, Training& Standards of Aquatic Rescue Response Teams, which is also available at no cost from theCertification section of the USLA website. Neither the Orange Beach Fire RescueDepartment, nor any other in the county, is certified to the standards contained within thisprogram.

There have been concerns raised, in light of the recent drowning death numbers, about theefficacy of fire departments responding to open-water rip current emergencies. Some of theauthors of this report conducted an on-site review of the Orange Beach Fire/Ocean Rescueoperation and found the operation was very professional, and could be in compliancewith the standards of the USLA ARRT program, should they decide to move in thatdirection. It should be noted, however, that the USLA agency certification program(Lifeguard or ARRT) does not address periods of operation, hours of coverage, or minimumstaffing levels for an agency. These are left to be determined on a local level according to awide variety of factors and they are indeed critical to the effectiveness of the agency.

16 http://www.usla.org/PublicInfo/library/CDC_Lifeguard_Effectiveness_Report.pdf17 http://www.usla.org/Train%2BCert/


Periods of Operation

Perhaps the best first step in providing adequate lifeguard coverage is to determine the datesof operation and the hours that the beach will be actively guarded. Most coastal lifeguardagencies in Florida operate 365 days a year, for at least eight hours per day. Some agencies inFlorida and in other parts of the United States utilize staggered shifts and 10-hour shifts toensure that lifeguards are on duty during the hours that people are present on the beach.

The City of Gulf Shores offers “seasonal” lifeguard coverage to its residents and tourists. It isnot clear what yardstick the city uses to measure its beach season. There appears to be acorrelation to the Baldwin County school year, but there are no objective data (localordinance or departmental policy statements) to support this. In Gulf Shores, it also appearsthat the tradition of providing lifeguard protection to a limited “summer” season hasbeen adhered to despite the fact that other lifeguard agencies located along the northernGulf Coast have found extended service essential to optimally protect the swimming public.The spring and fall “shoulder” seasons typically have significantly greater likelihood of surf.In addition, the locate climate and Gulf temperature stays relatively warm well into October.

Public records of emergency service departments in Baldwin County show that firefightersand police officers have responded to swimmer in distress calls during non-summer monthswhen there are no lifeguards employed. This is likely due to the fact that the formation of ripcurrents is a conditions-driven danger that is wholly unaffected by the number of people onthe beach. When weather systems, some hundreds of miles from shore, lead to groundswelldevelopment or when local storms produce currents and bottom movement occurs,swimmers and even waders (including surf and inlet fishermen) are vulnerable. Oftenswimmers get into trouble just a few feet from the shore where conditions may appear to besafe. This illusion may tempt “good Samaritan” rescuers to act, which multiplies the numberof persons at risk. Many overestimate their abilities. In Baldwin County, as in other areas ofAlabama, these factors, coupled with mild climate and warm water temperature, make theocean both an appealing and dangerous place for much of the year.

Area of Responsibility

The next step in providing adequate lifeguard coverage is to determine the area for whichlifeguards should be responsible. Ideally, lifeguards should be positioned wherever peopleare known to swim. If costs to accomplish this are considered prohibitive, then prioritizingcoverage at areas with the greatest need is the next best option. By evaluating existing areasregularly for changes in usage or development of high hazard, by providing protection whereit is needed, and by encouraging swimmers to swim in protected areas, lifeguard agenciesmark progress toward providing reasonable levels of aquatic safety. The protected areasshould be in areas people are most likely to swim, where infrastructure and attractions existthat make it convenient to swim, where unusual hazards exist, and where historical incidentsdemonstrate a need. Existence of these protected areas should be made clear. Encouragingpeople to “swim near a lifeguard” is an excellent approach, but people are not likely to travelfar to find lifeguard protection. If the goal is drowning prevention, lifeguard services mustbe placed conveniently, where people are known to swim and are likely to swim.


The City of Gulf Shores has chosen to provide lifeguard protection at locations thatgenerally fall within the boundaries of the city park. Oceanfront parks are an obvious andessential place to provide lifeguard protection. If it is the goal of the County or State toprevent drowning, they should target areas where people congregate to swim, regardless ofjurisdictional issues.

Spacing of lifeguard stands is a factor in providing for overlapping surveillance andemergency backup. This spacing is often determined by the response time that it takes toperform a successful intervention. It has been reported that large crowds flock to the beachthroughout the area. As a result of the spacing of lifeguards in widely separated areas ofresponsibility, almost all of Alabama’s 40-miles of coastline are virtually unprotected. Thepredominant reason we heard during our meetings for the sparse coverage was the cost ofproviding more lifeguards.

Staffing Levels

Staffing levels should be appropriate to attendance and conditions while providing forpublic safety in a manner consistent with user demand. Such responsibility should not be leftwith a single lifeguard. Lifeguards work more effectively in teams, both for economy ofeffort and personal safety. This is especially important in areas where great distances separatecrowded beach areas, as is the case in Baldwin County. These teams and/or sites should bemanaged through a central administration capable of providing necessary oversight,relief, backup, and resources.

The number of lifeguards employed by an agency should be adequate to preventdrowning death and to effectively handle other emergencies, regardless of fluctuations inattendance and conditions. The agency must therefore fund an operation that is flexibleenough to vary staffing according to anticipated fluctuations, in each factor, regardless of thetime of year. The effectiveness of this strategy rests upon the presumption that the agencywill implement sound policy regarding periods of operation and area of responsibility.

A committed, experienced workforce is highly desirable for a public safety operation, notleast because it provides the manager with the operational stability to meet contingencies,but also because the public expects it. This is the norm around the country, even in areas thataugment year-round staffing with seasonal and part time personnel.

Staffing Locations

Even a casual observer will note that beach users tend to congregate in certain areas.Wherever there is beach parking, for example, a higher level of beach attendance will benoted nearby. Most people tend not to walk far from where they have parked. The proximityof restaurants and restrooms are also factors that contribute to the choices people make inthis regard. People will seek beach access near these attractions for convenience sake.Most people staying at a beachside hotel will use the water directly in front of these hotels,rather than walk or drive any significant distance to find lifeguard protection. Amenitiesprovided by a hotel, such as lounge chairs, enhance visitor comfort and this maydiscourage movement to lifeguard protected areas.


As previously noted, the flexibility provided by adequate staffing levels is an essentialcomponent of successful management of a public safety agency. The fact that tourists arestaying in area hotels and are eating in area restaurants should come as no surprise to beachsafety officials. The fact that these same people will access and utilize the beach closest tothese attractions, quite often with tragic results, should prompt officials to evaluate theseareas as potential staffing locations.

Through public information campaigns, people can and should be encouraged to swim onlywhere lifeguards are on duty. The effort to protect people will only be fully successful,however, when lifeguards are placed at spots where people are likely to gather. Concernsabout property ownership, liability, and indemnification related to lifeguard protection couldbe addressed by contractual relationships between the state, county, the municipalities, andprivate businesses. In any event, it is not unusual to find publicly funded lifeguard stands infront of hotels, condominiums, or restaurants throughout the region and elsewhere in thecountry. Just as firefighters and police respond on a constant basis to incidents on privateproperty, in an effort to protect life and property, lifeguards should be staffed where neededto protect public safety.

History can also provide a guide to the location of lifeguards. Records of past drowningdeaths and near deaths can help pinpoint areas where future problems may develop. Completereliance on such figures is to be discouraged. Among other things, it is a reactive, rather thanproactive approach to drowning prevention. However, ignoring history is foolish.

Over the past three years, coastal drowning deaths have been reported in Alabama at a rate ofabout 4-7 per year. As a majority of these incidents have taken place outside of guardedareas, or during times when lifeguards have not been assigned, it would appear that countyofficials are facing a long-term problem that suggests the need for a change in each of thefundamental elements mentioned thus far.

Observation Points

The primary tool lifeguards use to maintain water safety is observation. Lifeguardobservation points must have a clear and unobstructed view of the area of supervision.Lifeguard observation towers are ideally elevated (the higher the better within reason)and provide the lifeguard with protection from the elements. They should include adequatespace to allow the lifeguard to stand and move while observing the water, and a place fornecessary rescue and first aid equipment. The design of a lifeguard tower should include away to respond on foot to a rescue without breaking observation of the swimmer in distress.

Enclosed lifeguard towers provide lifeguards with an effective and safe observation point,while they demonstrate to the public that the area is, indeed, guarded. The enclosed towermodel provides a focal point that stands out on a crowded beach and projects an image ofsecurity to the beach patron. Although it is commonly utilized throughout the region and therest of the country, there are no enclosed lifeguard towers anywhere in Baldwin County.Backup

Like police officers and firefighters, lifeguards often need backup. Sometimes, multiplevictims are swept offshore in a rip current all at once. Major medical cases in the vicinity


may require several lifeguards to effectively handle the incident. While these incidents arebeing attended to, the goal is to maintain water observation and to provide emergencyresponse to others in need. Backup lifeguards should be available to assume waterobservation when the lifeguard assigned thereto is otherwise engaged. Backup staffing levelsshould be adequate to address problems that can reasonably be expected to arise.

With great distances between lifeguard stands, there is the likelihood that a supervisor maynot be in a location where immediate backup is needed. Lifeguard supervisors should be ableto travel between guarded locations via all terrain vehicles. These vehicles should beequipped with basic life support medical aid equipment, and emergency lights or sirens.

Response time for backup is affected by variable conditions including: the position of thesupervisor at the time of the call, the size of the crowd, the presence of natural and manmadeobstructions, and the speed of the vehicle. If lifeguards are spaced too far apart, thesupervisor in an emergency might be expected to respond great distances on an ATV withlights and siren. The fastest response, in this case, might be too long to provide meaningfulbackup. Slow response time is associated with most drowning deaths.

Breaks

Observation of an open water swimming area requires constant vigilance. Much has beenwritten about the tremendous challenge presented by attempting to maintain concentration inthe face of the monotony of watching swimmers for extended periods of time. Training mayhelp, but it does not eliminate normal human reactions to stress or fatigue. If lifeguardconcentration lapses, even momentarily, it can have lethal consequences for those under theprotection of the lifeguard. For this reason alone, regular breaks are critical.

Breaks are also needed due to the environment in which lifeguards work. Often it is hot andwindy, and lifeguards are exposed to the elements. And breaks are required for simplehuman needs, like eating, using restrooms, and stretching legs.

In general, lifeguards should be assigned to water observation for no more than an hour at atime before being given a break of at least 1/4 hour. A lunch and/or workout break shouldalso be scheduled daily. USLA certification requires that lifeguards be provided anopportunity to exercise each day during their regular shift. This helps keep lifeguards alertand helps encourage them to maintain the high levels of fitness needed for the job. Manylifeguard agencies perform organized morning group workouts daily, and individualworkouts throughout the day as conditions permit. Breaks are facilitated between teammembers, with the lifeguard on break remaining in the area.

Equipment

Lifeguards need a variety of rescue and medical equipment to effectively carry out their jobs.The most basic is the rescue floatation device and swim fins. Additional equipment, such asrescue boards, first aid kits, binoculars, vehicles, and boats can be helpful as well. In somecases, the provision of automotive equipment can help limit the need for personnel,particularly backup personnel. Further information on lifeguard rescue equipment options is


available in Open Water Lifesaving The United States Lifesaving Association Manual,(second edition).18

In an area such as Baldwin County, with vast expanses of open beach, emergency responsevehicles, boats, and personal watercraft are essential. They allow rapid backup to remotelocations, conveyance of lifeguard equipment and personnel where needed, improvedsupervision, effective patrol, and a high level presence. Rescue boats can provide essentialservices to rapidly rescue multiple victims in high surf or rip current conditions. Theavailability of such tools can maximize the effectiveness of lifeguards and may help limitneeds for personnel.

Responsibility and Management

Lifeguard agencies are providers of emergency services and are thus a link in the chain ofpublic safety service systems. Lifeguards who serve marine environments are in fact hiredto assume responsibility for the protection and rescue of people from a hazardousenvironment. They should be well trained, have high skill levels, be willing to accept asignificant amount of responsibility and, at times, risk their lives. Employers oremployees cannot take this duty lightly.

Due to the seasonal nature of the lifeguard services provided by Gulf Shores and thenonexistence of lifeguards in Orange Beach and in Alabama Gulf State Parks, localfirefighters and police are called upon to respond to aquatic emergencies at times. Mostoften, these responses are by land. In most cases, marine units are dispatched to coastaldrowning emergencies, unless it’s been determined that seas are too rough for the unit toexit the inlet into the gulf. More often than not, as a consequence of the time delay betweenreceipt of the emergency call and the arrival of professional rescuers on the scene, the effortresults in the “recovery” of the body of a deceased swimmer rather than the rescue of a viablepatient.

At times when lifeguards are on duty, a clear chain of command should be prearranged toavoid any confusion at emergency scenes. Further, the response of multiple agencies to anincident requires that all of the agencies have clear operational guidelines and/or mutual aidagreements in place which optimize their effectiveness. If firefighters, police, park rangers,or EMS workers are to be expected to participate in in-water rescue, they should first be fullytrained to USLA national standards. This helps ensure adequate victim care and personalsafety protection for the employees so assigned. The formation of an official ARRT teamwould be beneficial.

Although standards of care owed to individuals vary, any determination of negligence orcivil liability is based on standards for performance of the professional lifeguard.Ignorance of such professional obligations is no excuse for failing to meet them.Therefore, those with the administrative and functional expertise to administer a

18 Brewster, B. Chris (Editor). Open Water Lifesaving: The United States Lifesaving Association Manual;Prentice Hall 2003 ISBN 0-536-73735-5 (Chapters 13 and 14)


comprehensive public safety quality assurance program should conduct management andsupervision of beach safety personnel.

Recruitment and Retention of Lifeguards

An annual recruiting drive and pre-employment training process to find the numbers of ablerecruits needed to staff the beaches is sound practice. Due to their relative unavailability,utilization of employees attending schools (high schools, trade schools, and colleges, etc.)should not be solely relied upon. The development of a recurrent part-time lifeguard staffwith on-call deployment capabilities is paramount to keeping the lifeguard stands occupied.Lifeguard salaries should be comparable to those of other local emergency service workers.When necessary, salaries should be adjusted in order to help retain and attract professionallifeguards.

It is also possible to positively affect recruitment and retention by improving workingconditions in areas important to prospective and existing employees. Properly equipped andsanitary lifeguard facilities are one aspect of working conditions that can help withrecruitment and retention efforts. Lifeguard facilities deemed to be substandard orinadequate signal a low level of respect for the employees and for the service they provide.Lifeguard equipment should be properly stored in an area of adequate space. Lifeguardsshould have lockers, showers, or other amenities at their worksites. Lifeguard facilitiesshould be of high quality and provide amenities one might expect at a fire or police station.This is especially true considering that lifeguards will welcome and medically treat thepublic at such facilities. The public will, of course, expect sanitary conditions while a woundor other injury is being treated.


Oversight Options

In Alabama’s Gulf Coast region, there are no local ordinances or statutes addressing watersafety concerns. In 2008, accidental death was the fifth leading cause of death statewide,and drowning deaths ranked second behind motor vehicle accidents. 19 Drowning ispreventable through sound health safety policy. This policy must include the provision oflifeguards on public beaches.20

In the United States, lifeguard protection is most commonly provided by the entity thatowns the adjacent beach. This is true even though the owner of the beach is not always theowner of the water. In effect, the owner of the beach provides lifeguards to protect users ofits beach as well as those who venture into adjacent waters, regardless of who owns thesewaters.

The vast majority of surf lifeguard programs in the United States are administered bygovernment agencies, with the lifeguards employed by those agencies. This is obviously thecase in Gulf Shores as well. The fact that a lifeguard service is under public control assuresdirect accountability to both county officials and citizens. If expectations are not met, thehiring entity has the authority to take immediate steps to correct any deficiencies. This isof particular import with respect to a public safety provider.

Another option, when lifeguards are public employees, is conference of enforcementpowers. A variety of approaches in this regard are utilized in the United States, from arminglifeguards and providing them full police powers (examples include Volusia County,Florida, and California State Parks), to providing limited arrest and citation powers, toconferring only the right to issue legally enforceable verbal warnings. When properlyutilized, this option reduces reliance on police, engenders greater respect for andcompliance with lifeguard directions, helps keep beaches clean and orderly, and enhancesbeach safety. Obviously, it requires training appropriate to the level of enforcement powerconferred.

Research

In Baldwin County, the Fire and Police Departments presumably file reports on drowningdeaths. Logging and reviewing incident reports provides data that may indicate new areas ofresponsibility, periods of operation, and levels of staffing. Additionally, there are 9-1-1dispatch logs and department run reports that can be evaluated. The Baldwin CountyMedical Examiner’s Office is another good source of research on drowning incidents. Inrequesting information on drowning deaths, it is sometimes helpful to ask for allinformation on “coastal deaths,” due to the fact that some drowning deaths are classified ascardiac, seizure, or stroke deaths secondary to drowning. Records of beach attendance,rescues, medical assistance, drowning death, and near death are essential to guide lifeguardstaffing, location, and manpower/budget allocation. Further research is needed to help

19 See ADPH website http://www.adph.org/injuryprevention/index.asp?id=1031 accessed January 3, 201020 The American College of Emergency Physicians recommends to “Always swim near a lifeguard” seehttp://www3.acep.org/patients.aspx?id=26164


identify both locations where and times when drowning death and near death has takenplace over the past five years. This should not be the sole determinant for placement oflifeguards, but should be taken into account.

All Baldwin County emergency service entities should consider reporting to the USLAtheir annual statistical record of contacts, medical treatments, rescues, visitation, anddrowning deaths to add to the national USLA database. By recording data in this manner andconducting a comparison study, an agency should be able to evaluate effectiveness anddetermine new areas of need.

Jurisdictional Issues

The fact that there are a number of government agencies operating in Baldwin Countybrings jurisdictional issues, and these pose challenges to the organization andadministration of comprehensive area lifeguard service(s) there. There are municipalities’,state agency, and county interests converging in a popular coastal recreational area and thisraises interesting questions regarding public safety policy and funding sources needed toimplement policy. These questions are not unique to Alabama; similar questions have arisenaround the country.

Examples of multi jurisdictional arrangements as related to lifeguard services abound inFlorida and California. In Brevard County, Florida, for example, the county FireDepartment contracts with coastal municipalities to provide lifeguard services throughout40 miles of county beach. In other areas, municipalities provide city funded lifeguardservices that serve alongside county and state funded lifeguard services.

Cooperation and communication between the agencies are essential elements to providingthe best service at the least cost. Jurisdictional responsibilities between the state, the county,and the municipalities should be itemized in a written agreement.

Local governments in Baldwin County have mutual assistance agreements in place,coordinating county and city medical and operational protocols under the direction of thecounty Medical Director’s office. This office should publish separate protocols for beachlifeguards. When there is a reported drowning in the city of Gulf Shores, beach attendantsare called upon. This, however, is not the case in Orange Beach or Gulf State Park.


THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING A TOURIST ECONOMY

The Alabama state legislature has recognized the importance of tourism to both state andlocal economies. In order to promote tourism, the legislature established an Advisory Boardto the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel that “serve[s] as a body to advise the directorand private persons on the development and implementation of state policies and programsrelating to tourism and recreation and to assist in the coordination of these activities.”21

In Alabama, there have been increased tourism revenues over the past few years. In 2008,tourists brought over $9.6 billion into the Alabama economy.22 Of this, nearly 40% wasretained by the state. The Gulf Coast Region of Alabama, comprised mostly of BaldwinCounty, saw 35% of statewide tourism generated revenue. Between 2006 and 2008,Baldwin County posted travel related earnings of nearly $3 billion.23

In November of 2008, the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau receivedthe results of an online survey that examined the image of its beaches pursuant to magazineadvertisements it ran to promote beach visitation.24 The survey determined that the likelytargets for beach tourism marketing were residents from the states of Alabama, Georgia,Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. For the most part, these would likely bepeople with limited exposure to a beach environment and its associated hazards.

A key point of the report cited that among “general population” participants in the survey,there was a substantial inability to rate an overall perception of both Orange Beach and GulfShores. This, in turn, “suggests that there is a blank slate on which to develop perceptions ofOrange Beach and Gulf Shores among those in the general population.”25

In response to the question, “What is important in a beach vacation destination?” surveyparticipants answered that “logistics and atmosphere” were most important. It is worthnoting that by the consultants’ definition, the term “logistics” did not include the provisionof lifeguard services for beach visitors. The survey also drew comparisons to FloridaPanhandle beaches. These comparisons are indeed true of the geological aspects of thegeneral area, and while the pleasures of a beach vacation may be comparable, so too are thedangers.

Promotion of tourism tends to focus on offering special amenities that might be perceived asdesirable by those who may wish to visit. Normally, these special amenities do not includepublic safety services, because it is presumed by most people that communities in theUnited States will provide for their safety. Therefore, just as it is unlikely that potentialtourists who might be surveyed would be motivated to visit a community due to the

21 Title 41 State Government - Chapter 7 Bureau of Tourism and Travel - Section 41-7-3

22 See Alabama Tourism Report http://alabama.travel/media/media_room/Report/2008TourismReport.pdf23 Ibid (page 24)24 New South Research Report entitled “Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau Perceptions ofArea and Ads Online Survey November 5 – 8, 2008” accessed online January 3, 2010.25 Ibid (slide 4)


expansiveness of its police protection, so too could be expected to be the case for lifeguardprotection. However, if a community engenders a negative reputation for crime or a beachcommunity for drowning deaths, the consequences for tourism can be severe. Providingadequate public safety should be seen not as an amenity, but as a basic expectation oftourists.

Baldwin County officials in their attempts to draw more tourists to their beautiful beachesshould remain cognizant of the tragic incidents that led to the creation of lifeguard servicesin much of the Florida panhandle and they should strive to avoid having history repeated.26

The suggestion that Baldwin County has a blank slate to develop interest in its beachcommunities as tourist destinations is true only insofar as it can promote its commitment toproviding safe, guarded beaches. Without comprehensive lifeguard services and with anexpanding interest in marketing beach tourism, a different reputation will surely grow.

26 In 2003, twelve people drowned over two months and nine drowned over a two day period in the area. Tenof the twelve victims were from out of state. See report athttp://www.doh.state.fl.us/DEMO/InjuryPrevention/reports.html#DrowningReports


FUNDING OF AQUATIC SAFETY IN BALDWIN COUNTY

As a matter of legislative intent, it has been recognized that tourism is a business that bringsboth costs and benefits to beach communities. Residents also use the beaches, and benefitfrom income from tourism, so it is not unreasonable for the county and municipalities to usesome ad valorem funds to provide for public safety on public beaches. The concern we heardfrom various stakeholders was, again, centered on how these services would be funded.Funding can be derived from a variety of sources including but not limited to: ad valoremfunds, parking fees, concession franchise fees, tourist lodging tax, and grants. Grants thathelp fund beach safety services in the Florida panhandle, for example, include EMSMatching Grants which are typically used for capital outlay and/or operating supplies thatimprove or enhance the local EMS system.

In Baldwin County, the primary fiscal beneficiaries of improved beach safety would bebusiness owners who benefit by tourist income. If protection is improved, it will likelyresult in sustained or improved income to the tourist economy, to the benefit of all. As such,a source of funding for beach safety protection may be tourist businesses. Funding oflifeguard services must be considered not simply as expense coverage but also as a revenueenhancer. Lifeguards protect tourists, and tourist derived revenue is vital to the BaldwinCounty economy. There can be no doubt that Baldwin County’s beaches have contributed tothe county’s income much more than they have been an expense to its taxpayers.27 Themind-set of funding lifeguard expense needs to become an attitude of funding expansion ofa service that protects a revenue source.

Equitable funding must be related to the user of the service to be funded, to the extent possible.In this regard, based on sales tax revenues, we have found certain obvious areas of possibleuser fees. In 2008, tourists spent most of their daily expenditures on food andaccommodations. These items represent 40% of tourist spending, which makes anexcellent candidate for a simple room and meal tax. Another approach to fund enhancedrecreational services is already being undertaken in the Alabama Mountain Lakes taxdistrict. Unlike the rest of Alabama which has a 4% bed tax rate, the Alabama Lakes area isassessed at a 5% rate. The additional 1% is distributed evenly between the Mountain LakesTourist Association and the four counties where it is assessed.28 Obviously, based upon therevenue generated from coastal tourism within Baldwin County, most, if not all, of the costsassociated with providing professional open water lifesaving services could be funded in asimilar manner. This potentially completely eliminates the need for Ad Valorem tax dollarfunding. Further, the people potentially needing the lifesaving services would be the onespaying for it. A 1% increase on a several hundred dollars per night room are negligible and

27 In 2008, the revenue generated by tourism saved each Alabama household $404 in taxes applied to currentservice levels28 http:// www.revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/staterates.html “A privilege tax is levied upon every person or firmthat rents or furnishes lodgings or accommodations to transients for a fee. The statewide tax is distributed to the StateGeneral Fund and to the Department of Tourism and Travel in a 75%-to-25% ratio, respectively. An additional levy ismade in a four-county region known as the Mountain Lakes area for the promotion of tourism and recreation. Proceedsfrom the additional levy are distributed 50% to the Mountain Lakes Tourist Association and 50% to the four counties.”


easily defended by the provision of enhanced services and a corresponding reduction in thenumber of drowning related deaths.


RECOMMENDATIONS

In an effort to advise and assist in reducing the incidence of drowning and promotingaquatic safety in Baldwin County, we make the following recommendations:

Prevention Through Public Education

1. A learn-to-swim program should be implemented throughout the county toincrease the number of people in the community who know how to swim and toeducate them about aquatic safety.

2. A recreation-based Junior Lifeguard program should be adopted by BaldwinCounty. This program could be run as a fee-structured summer camp,with qualified lifeguard personnel acting as instructors, and incomeoffsetting costs of the employees. Depending upon community interest, aprogram could be offered in each municipality.

3. Baldwin County, should assure consistency, accuracy and ease of use in itsInternet based information regarding aquatic safety. Links should beestablished to recognized aquatic safety organizations, such as USLA and theInternational Life Saving Federation.

4. Area hotels should offer aquatic safety materials, pamphlets and closed circuiteducational videos, to their guests. Printed materials should include beachsafety information, such as where to find lifeguard protected areas and thedates/times lifeguards are on duty. These materials should be consistent incontent, with leadership of the county in consultation with aquatic safetyexperts.

5. A recorded telephone line should be dedicated to provide beach safetyinformation, such as tides, surf size, diving conditions, lifeguardavailability, and other information likely to appeal to beach users, whetherexperienced or novice. This number can be advertised on maps and in otherliterature. An example of this can be found by dialing 619-221-8824 or954-828-4597.

6. Municipal legislators should enact ordinances that outline the authority oflifeguard personnel regarding the enforcement of beach safety rules. Theseordinances should not conflict with municipal beach safety ordinances.Existing beach safety ordinances should be reviewed for current usage trendsand modified accordingly.


Emergency Services Planning and Management

7. Government entities in Baldwin County should collaborate in developing astrategic plan with the goal of creating and implementing a beach safetymanagement program throughout Baldwin County. This goal should includethe provision of lifeguard services at designated public bathing areas that willensure safety, save lives, and promote the reputation of the area as a safe areafor tourism.

8. Beach safety strategies should be guided by the principle of drowningprevention and should strive to provide lifeguards in public areas wherepeople are known to swim and to encourage people to swim in protected areas.Overlapping surveillance of swimmers is a critical component of effectivedrowning prevention and should be implemented wherever possible.

9. The employer should give primary responsibility for its beach safety servicesmanagement to a qualified and experienced lifeguard. This lifeguard managershould develop and implement standard operating guidelines, as well asoperational policies and procedures. The manager should issue an annualreport highlighting the accomplishments of and proposing improvements to theservice.

10. The lifeguard service manager(s) together with the employer(s) should defineroles and responsibilities for response to aquatic safety incidents both withinand outside of designated public bathing areas, at all times of the day andthroughout the year

11. A policy for lifeguard and public safety personnel response to “after-hours”aquatic emergencies should be developed. This could involve a dispatchingand/or “callback” system for lifeguards, or cross training of other emergencyservices workers (consistent with USLA standards) who would be on-duty atall hours.

12. Research and record keeping should be based upon data collected fromincident reports, medical run reports, and other sources. The employershould develop and implement written policy to address debriefing after majorincidents and should issue its findings in a written report, with appropriaterecommendations to minimize the chance of recurrence.

13. Employers should facilitate the construction of lifeguard headquartersand/or sub-headquarters buildings. These should include meeting space, firstaid stations, and locker room facilities for lifeguards. Most particularly, anadequate number of modern lifeguard towers must be provided.

14. Lifeguards services in Baldwin County should participate in the USLALifeguard Agency Certification Program. Firefighters and otheremergency personnel who might respond to water rescue should, at a


minimum, be trained to standards promulgated by the United StatesLifesaving Association. Lifeguards (not firefighters or police) should befirst responders to all water rescue incidents and should be the first notifiedwhen aquatic emergencies arise. Firefighters and police should respond,as appropriate, in a support role, and should work under a prearrangedincident command structure with lifeguards in the lead position when on-scene.

Lifeguard Staffing

15. Lifeguards should be provided at locations where swimming is known to occurwith regularity and where steps have been taken that invite users to thebeach. This would include beaches with public access, parking, and otheramenities, including hotels.

16. Government agencies in Baldwin County should employ full time lifeguardstaff in a number adequate to ensure a minimum level of safety protectionthroughout the county year-round.

17. While, in some cases, lifeguards may need to work alone for limited periods oftime, backup must be rapid, reliable, and adequate to ensure safety of thelifeguard and the public.

18. At each staffed beach, the area of responsibility of lifeguards assigned to eachlifeguard tower should be clearly defined. Where multiple towers are placed ona beach, they should be positioned closely enough to each other to ensure thatthe area of responsibility of each tower overlaps that of any adjacent tower,since beach patrons will be relying on continuous coverage between towers.The area of responsibility should be realistic in size to allow vigilant lifeguardsto observe and respond to people in distress in time to prevent death or injury.

19. Seasonal lifeguard protection of designated swimming areas should operate atlocations where and during times of the year when increased numbers of peopleare most likely to swim. This should begin no later than the beginning of Marchand extend at least through October, seven days a week.

20. Location, hours of operation, and dates of seasonal staffing should bedetermined based on response time, attendance, conditions, and demonstratedneed. Hours of operation should be clearly posted and consistent throughoutthe county, so as to not confuse patrons who frequent multiple beachlocations. The use of staggered shifts is recommended to maximize lifeguardcoverage, so long as no lifeguard is assigned to work without an immediatesource of qualified backup. The beach safety management plan shouldincorporate this policy.

21. Lifeguard agencies in Baldwin County should develop a system that allowsfor augmentation of staff above regular levels to assist lifeguard operationsduring unexpected weather conditions. A major incident plan should bedeveloped for these periods, with a method of bringing on additional staff as


needed. The Sheriff’s Department and Fire Department should be a part of theseplans to lend additional support to lifeguard resources.

22. The system of logs and statistical reporting should conform to USLA standardsand utilized to develop a base for locating staff and scheduling manpower.

Funding

23. A tourism lodging fee, as is already used in Alabama Mountain Lakes, shouldbe pursued and dedicated to the provision of lifeguard services. In addition,since all three government entities are already funding lifeguard and/or beachattendant programs at some level, this funding could dramatically enhancethose operations.

24. Additional sources of revenue might be identified through beach parking feesand/or concession fees for local vendors.

25. Federal and state grants may be available through Homeland Security or EMSfor lifeguard infrastructure, communications, and training.


RECOMMENDED REFERENCES

Lifeguard Effectiveness: A Report of the Working GroupBranche CM, Stewart S. (Editors). Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control andPrevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2001. (see Appendix)Download from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/lifeguard/lifeguard.htm

Guidelines for Open Water Lifeguard Agency CertificationUnited States Lifesaving Association, rev. November 2001 (see Appendix)Download from: http://www.usla.org/Train%2BCert/USLA Guidelines.pdf

Open Water Lifesaving – The United States Lifesaving Association ManualBrewster, B. Chris (ed.) Pearson Custom Publishing. 2003. ISBN 0-536-73735-5

A Work Behavior-Oriented Job Analysis for Lifeguards - Final Technical ReportNational Center for Injury Prevention and Control Mael, Fred A. et al. Atlanta:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for InjuryPrevention and Control; 1998Download from: http://www.usla.org/PublicInfo/lfglibrary.shtml

International Standards for Beach Safety and Information Flagshttp://www.usla.org/PublicInfo/library/FlagWarningStandardsILSFinal20FEB04.pdf

Better BeachesGriffiths, Tom. National Recreation and Park Association; 1999. ISBN0-929581-62- 8

Page 1 of 3


Southwest Region

Activity Report


President: Michael A. Beuerlein

Introduction

Spring has sprung, and like the swallows of San Juan Capistrano, throngs of visitors are returning to California’s shores to seek refuge from the heat, trusting professional lifeguards to protect their safety. What is different this year is that government agencies continue to struggle as a result of our depressed economy. Budgets have been slashed, towers have been closed, tryouts have been canceled, hiring has been frozen, pay has been cut, personnel have been furloughed and positions have been eliminated. And yet, the permanent lifeguards who remain are welcoming those seasonal lifeguards who are allowed to return, to once again, do more with less, and accept the challenge to fulfill our public safety mission.

So fight on we will. Why? Because that’s what we do! We are part of a noble profession and families depend on us to use our unique skills and resourcefulness to educate, prevent and rescue. The California Surf Lifesaving Association is dedicated to promoting professional lifesaving standards and beach safety awareness. The CSLSA Executive Board is committed to our mission and representing our members to the United States Lifesaving Association.


1. Since the Fall 2009 USLA Board of Director’s Meeting in Williamsburg, Virginia, CSLSA has been pleased that USLA continues to do a great job of promoting professional lifesaving standards throughout our country and abroad. CSLSA is honored to support the USLA mission, goals and objectives.

2. The 2010-11 CSLSA Executive Board has already met three times this year and continues to work hard on behalf of our members. Thanks to outgoing Executive Board Members Alex Peabody and Jon Mitchell for their excellent service in furtherance of CSLSA’s mission. We are grateful that both gentlemen intend to stay actively involved in the future.

3. CSLSA is pleased to welcome our two newest Executive Board Members, Jay Butki and Bill Humphreys. Both are uniquely qualified with nearly 20 years of heavy CSLSA involvement in important committees, Public Education and Competition. They are both very deserving and will continue to represent our members well.

4. CSLSA Committee Chairs remain unchanged for the 2010-11 term with the following exceptions: Rich Hidalgo will chair the Certification Committee, Mike Silvestri will chair the Training Committee and Chris Pierce will co-chair the Public Education Committee with Bill Humphreys.

5. 2010-11 USLA Certification Officers from the Southwest Region are Rich Hidalgo, Bill Richardson, Rick Gould, Larry Giles and Carl Drake.

6. In January, I was honored to present USLA Lifetime Member Reenie Boyer with a CSLSA Award of Appreciation at her retirement dinner for her 26 years of dedicated service to the City of Newport Beach. We are glad that Reenie has agreed to continue serving as CSLSA First Executive Delegate and Chair of both the CSLSA and USLA Junior Lifeguard Committees.

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7. The CSLSA extends its heartfelt condolences to Charlotte Graham and her family for the loss of her mother. CSLSA made a donation in the amount of $100.00 to the United States Lifesaving Foundation in the name of Charlotte M. Graham, in memory of her mother Ritva Smits Van Oyen.

8. CSLSA’s $1,100 donation to the 2010 Wieland Shield Competition Team seems to have been a worthwhile investment. Congratulations to the CSLSA competitors for the most successful performance in years. Competitors are eager to return to San Diego for Regionals this summer. Jeff Hatfield and his team will be supported, as usual, by Scott Hubbell, Jay Butki and the rest of the CSLSA Executive Board.

9. I would like to express CSLSA’s sincere gratitude to both Steve and Linda Reuter for helping to promote our non-profit corporation once again at the Action Sports Retail Show in San Diego. We appreciate them arranging booth space, at no cost, for CSLSA. A special thanks to the CSLSA members who volunteered to support our association. Steve’s great idea to network with the surf industry will hopefully pay dividends for CSLSA in the future.

10. San Clemente Marine Safety Chief Bill Humphreys and crew did a standout job of hosting the Spring 2010 CSLSA Board of Directors meeting on April 15th & 16th.


1. For years, one of USLA’s major goals has been to raise funds to hire an Executive Director to manage USLA’s daily operations. While CSLSA agrees that USLA needs additional revenue streams, CSLSA objected to a proposed consulting agreement that cost $40,000 up front with no guaranteed return. After voting on the matter, USLA ultimately signed a consulting agreement with Isaac Sports Group to market USLA. CSLSA can only hope that ISG will be successful in acquiring sponsorship. Fund raising for the 2010 Nationals will be the first litmus test.

2. At the Spring 2010 CSLSA Board of Directors Meeting, a HSBLA Nationals Organizing committee representative spoke on the “state of the state” and the host agreement negotiations. Due to the change of dates for the US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach Pier to July 31st - August 8th, Huntington Beach hotel occupancies are very impacted on the initially planned dates of August 4, 5, and 6. To avoid this conflict HSBLA has proposed changing the dates to August 12, 13, and 14 as part of their host agreement with the USLA. The following motion was made: “The CSLSA Competition Committee has no opposition to the HSBLA USLA National Lifeguard Championships organizing committee changing the dates to August 12, 13, and 14”. The motion passed unanimously.

For reference, the USLA Policy & Procedures state that the National Lifeguard Championships will be held “on the 2nd weekend in August. The dates may be altered to meet site needs with the approval of the USLA Board of Directors.” Discussion followed on the host agreement and the reimbursement of officials. At the Fall USLA Board of Directors Competition Committee meeting in Williamsburg, a sub-committee was proposed to be formed to re-examine, analyze and discuss methods to streamline and improve the process of the USLA National Lifeguard Championships, and thereby increase the production and performance in the future. As such, the costs for officials have been proposed to be shifted to the USLA Competition Committee rather than the chapter host. This cost change would be reflected in future host agreements. However, since there appears to have been no action on this matter since the fall meeting, it remains status quo.

3. CSLSA is encouraged to see a proposal submitted to the Nationals Re-Organization Working

Group Committee for review at this meeting. As the proposal concludes, “the future of the United States Lifesaving Association National Lifeguard Championships depends upon a re-

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organization which rightly places the fiscal responsibility for holding the annual event on the parent organization. The USLA is the national body with connections to NOAA, CDC, YMCA, American Red Cross, and other recognized national bodies. As such only the USLA is in a position to gain ongoing large-scale corporate sponsorship for its many endeavors, including the National Championships. It is unreasonable and unfair to expect small chapters of lifeguards throughout the nation to bear the financial responsibility of hosting a national event such as our Championships. It is also unfair to ask chapters with somewhat better financing to repeatedly host the event due to the inability of any other locations to do so. The time has come for the USLA to become the host of the National Lifeguard Championships.”

4. CSLSA continues to work with USLA to find a way to affiliate with the United States Olympic Committee without drastically changing the structure of our organization. If this affiliation comes to fruition, CSLSA hopes that we will not have to change our bylaws.

5. Due to the state of the economy, many legislative bodies are looking at reorganizing and consolidating departments and divisions. As a result, I have learned that Human Resource and Personnel Departments are considering the USLA and Regional websites as authoritative sources of information. It is fundamentally important that the information we post is accurate and up to date. As volunteer organizations, USLA and USLA Regions depend on the information received from our chapters. Chapters have a responsibility to report information on test dates and salaries for both permanent and seasonal employees. Regional representatives need to follow-up to get the information from the chapters on their websites. Likewise, USLA needs to follow-up with the Regions to make sure the USLA website is up to date with accurate information that will shape the future of our agencies and their employees. In Williamsburg, the Executive Delegate Committee recommended that salary information be a requirement for certification. We would like this matter to be placed on the Certification Committee Agenda for this meeting.

6. Dr. Victor Zavala-Hamz, PhD. President of the Asociacion Mexican de Salvavidas, A.C. (AMS), has asked that USLA and CSLSA direct all ideas and plans to assist lifesaving in Mexico through the AMS for coordination and consistency, and to avoid duplication of efforts.

7. The CSLSA Executive Board is excited to be in the Lone Star State representing our members at the USLA Meeting in Galveston, Texas.

Finally, let’s hope, that in 2010, our agencies are properly staffed with the lifeguards and resources they need to continue our outstanding safety record of protecting the families that place their lives in our hands.

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Contracted Staff Liaison

Activity Report


Officer: Ed Zebrowski


1. Worked with and provided all requested information to ISG. Placed ISG in contact with various members of USLA to facilitate gathering of information.

2. Arranged a meeting in Huntington Beach between ISG and members of the host committee.

3. Held discussions with Ford, we have a new representative, on possible sponsorship of Nationals and tee-shirts for the membership kit. As yet we have not had a definite answer.

4. Reviewed numerous sponsorship proposals which will be discussed with the Executive Board.

5. Contacted many companies looking for sponsorship, specifically the Nationals with no luck so far but a few are still possible.

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Certification Committee

Activity Report


Officer: Tony Pryor

Introduction

How is everyone?


1. Still in talks with Ocean City, New Jersey about USLA Certification violations.

2. Talk over some points that Brenda made to possible make the system work better.


1. Virginia Beach EMS, Va – regular certification

2. Hawaii County, Hi - regular certification

3. Kanula Water Safety, Hi – regular with discussion about 1000yd swim in 20 min.

4. Santa Barbara, Ca - regular certification

5. South Walton Fire District, Fl – regular certification

6. Panama Beach Safety Division, Fl – regular certification pending the McManus report of findings

7. San Fransico Fire Dept. – ARRT

8. La County Dept of Parks & Rec Lake Lifeguards – advanced certification

9. Fernandina Beach Fire Rescue - 6 month extension

10. Hayden, ID - 6 month extension

11. Kill Devil Hills Ocean Rescue, NC – 6 month extension

12. Miami Dade Fire Ocean Rescue, Fl – 6 month extension

13. Nassau County Ocean Rescue, Fl - 6 month extension

14. San Diego Fire Rescue Lifeguard Service – 6 month extension

15. North Myrtle Beach – 6 month extension

16. Sonoma County Parks and Recreation, Ca – 6 month extension

17. Ocean Beach, NJ – 6 month extension

18. Exepedition School – pending

19. Miami beach ocean rescue – pending

20. Monmouth Beach & Tennis – pending

21. Monterey Beach Ocean Rescue – pending

22. Surf City, NJ - pending

Attachments

1. CO procedure

You have been selected as the Certification Officer for review of the above mentioned lifeguard agency.

We have converted to an electronic processing system, so you will not receive a paper copy of the

application.

A link to the most current list of certification applications, including the application for this agency, can

be found at the bottom of this message. Please click on the link at the bottom of this message, find the

agency in the list, and then click on the agency name to open and download the application for your

review. The first page is the review form for you to complete. The following pages are the agency’s

application. You can fill out the review form on your computer and save the file.

Within the next 30 days (sooner if possible), please follow the numbered steps below to complete your

review.

If you have any questions during the review process, please contact Certification Committee Chair at

[email protected] or at 866-367-8752, extension #271. You may also contact the Certification

Administrator at [email protected].

1. Immediately reply to this email to confirm that you have received this application for review.

2. Review the downloaded application package for completeness. It should start with a blank Report of

Findings, for you to complete, followed by an application and curriculum checklist, submitted by the

applying agency.

3. Contact the listed agency contact person to advise that you have received the application and are

reviewing it. Advise that you will be calling later for any questions you may have and to inform of the

progress of the review. We want agencies to consider this process a cooperative effort.

5. Review the package in detail to determine whether the agency meets the standards. For lifeguard

agencies, you must determine whether this is at a basic or advanced level. If there is any question or an

apparent discrepancy, ask the agency contact person to provide you with documents you consider

necessary to validate the agency's claims. Remember that we occasionally update the standards, so there

will likely be new standards that this agency was not required to meet previously.

6. It is suggested, but not required, that an on-site review be conducted. It is recommended that you make

an appointment with the contact person listed in the application and take the opportunity to arrange for a

tour of the agency. This will be an excellent review the application with the agency contact person. Please

remember that you are representing the membership of USLA and your region during this meeting and

conduct yourself accordingly.

7. To encourage on-site reviews for first time applications, you are eligible for reimbursement of

reasonable expenses up to $100. If you anticipate that your expenses will exceed $100, please contact the

Chair of the National Certification Committee for consultation and prior approval. Receipts and requests

for reimbursement should be submitted to the USLA Treasurer.

8. If you find, after careful review of the agency, that it may no longer meet minimum USLA standards,

advise the agency contact person of the areas where you believe the agency is lacking. Recommend steps

which could be taken to meet the standards. The intent of the USLA Certification Program is to encourage

high standards. If the agency wishes to make changes to meet the standards, provide an opportunity for

them to do so and ask them to send you information verifying the changes.

mailto:[email protected]


9. If you are recommending approval, you may so advise the applying agency, but make it clear that final

approval is dependent on a vote of the USLA Board of Directors. The Board meets twice a year, usually

in April and November.

10. It is critical that if, during the review process, you have received any additional information directly

from the agency to verify compliance with the standards, you send all of this information to the program

administrator. We need to have copies of all information you used in your decision on file. This material

should be mailed to Certification Administrator, PO Box 1266, San Marcos, CA 92079-1266.

11. When the review is complete, complete the Report of Findings on the first page of the application,

save the file, and return it to: [email protected].

An electronic Report of Findings review form has been created for Certification Officers. That

form is located at the top of the list of certifications on the website.

Brenda Warner


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Competition Committee

Activity Report


Committee Chair: Ed Zebrowski

Committee Members:

Andy Braudy; Jay Butki; Tim Gallagher; Jim McCrady; Tony Pryor; Paul Pivec


1. Have attempted to finalize a host agreement with Cal State Huntington Beach for 2010. We are close but nothing has been signed.

2. Agreed on host agreement with Cape May for 2011.

Issues for Discussion and/or Resolution (At This Meeting)

1. Nationals

2. Nationals 2010

3. Nationals 2011

4. Nationals 2012

5. National Team selection process, budget process.

6. International Competitions

7. Swim Suit Policy

8. Review Junior Age Group Proposals

Attachments

1. USLA Draft Swim Suit Policy

2. National Lifeguard Championships Re-Organization Proposal-Lotte Graham

USLA Draft Swim Suit Policy Section 4.3-

proposed edits shown in RED

4.3 COMPETITION CAPS / HELMETS / JERSEYS / SWIMWEAR

(a) Each individual Chapter shall be responsible to design and produce an official Chapter Competition cap (beanie) that identifies their Chapter.

(b) The Chapter’s official cap shall be worn on the head of the competitor and securely fastened under the chin at the start and finish of each event. Competitors shall not be disqualified for loss of their competition cap after the start if they complete all aspects of the event and it can be determined that they did not voluntarily remove their cap during the event.

(c) Competitors must wear their current official Chapter’s cap, not that of any other Chapter.

(d) Competition caps shall be required in every event except the Surfboat event. (e) In the Surfboat event helmets MUST BE WORN

(f) Design of Chapter cap shall be subject to approval of the USLA Competition Committee.

(g) All finalists must wear event sponsor competition jerseys, if provided, otherwise Vests or Lycra tops are optional. Competitors may also be required to wear distinctive coloured vests to assist with judging of finishes. Such vests will be supplied by USLA.

(h) Competitors shall wear costumes, clothing or dress as approved by the USLA. A competitor shall be not be permitted to take part in any competition if, in the opinion of the Referee, the competitor is not properly dressed. Swimwear for both USLA pool rescue competition and ocean events must comply with the following standards: Swimwear worn by males shall not extend above the navel or below the knee. Swimwear worn by females shall not cover the neck, shoulders or arms nor extend below the knees. Two piece swimsuits that conform to this standard may also be worn. The material and construction used in swimwear to be worn in all USLA pool rescue events and ocean competition event swim legs shall be: Only textile woven fabric(s) shall be permitted. Non-woven and/or non-permeable (e.g. wetsuit type) materials shall not be permitted. The material used shall have a maximum thickness of 0.8mm. Other than string ties for the tops of men’s swimwear or the bottom of female two piece swimwear no zippers or other fastening systems shall be permitted. Swimwear that provides flotation, pain reduction, chemical/medical stimulation or other external stimulation or influence of any type shall be prohibited. No outside application on the material shall be permitted. (Note: manufacturer brandings, club names or similar are permitted).

USLA will allow both male and female competitors to wear "modesty" swimwear made of a textile woven fabric under their swimsuit, provided that no competitive advantage is gained. Further, any modesty swimwear shall be restricted to the short style for men and the two piece style top and/or bottom for women.

Upon application for religious and/or cultural diversity reasons, USLA will consider the wearing of (non-body shaping) textile swimwear that covers a greater part of the body provided that such swimwear does not provide a competitive advantage.

DRESS OF COMPETITORS – COSTUMES, DRESS AND STYLE

Female Swimsuits

Full Length Zippered Back

Knee Length, Open Back

Short, Open Back Two Piece

Not Allowed Not Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed

(h) Referee has the authority to exclude any competitor whose swim wear does not

comply with the following standards: The swim wear of all competitors shall be in good moral taste and not carry any symbol which may be considered offensive. All swim wear shall be non-transparent. Competitors shall not wear or use anything that may aid buoyancy.

(i) Other Apparel- Swim goggles may be worn. The wearing of protective sunscreen is permitted. Sunglasses or optical glasses may be worn in all events with the exception of Beach Flags where eye protection or optical glasses worn must be suitably designed for that event. Jewelry that, in the opinion of the Referee, has the potential to cause injury to either the wearer or other competitors must be removed or taped over prior to the competition.

(j) The Referee may authorise the wearing of wetsuits, or "marine stinger suits",

dependent upon weather, water or other marine conditions. (k) Wetsuits shall be permitted in events when the water temperature is 16 degrees

Celsius or less, (60 degrees F), or when the Referee determines wind chill is a factor. Water temperature measurements should be taken approximately 30 cm (12 inches) below the surface.

Male Swimsuits

Full Length Long Long Legs Knee length

Square Leg Short

Not Allowed Not Allowed Not Allowed

Allowed Allowed Allowed

The only wetsuits approved for use in events involving swimming shall have a maximum thickness of 3 mm at any location on the wetsuit with a tolerance of 0.3 mm. Wetsuits cannot contain additional material to provide the wearer with flotation or buoyancy assistance. It is not permitted to wear more than one wetsuit (i.e. one upon the other) but one modesty textile swimsuit is permitted.

(l) Except for swimmers in events the wearing or other protective clothing (e.g. shorts,

Lycra tops, t-shirts, etc.) may be worn by individual competitors in both individual and team events unless otherwise prescribed by these rules or the event organizing authority.


NATIONAL LIFEGUARD CHAMPIONSHIPS RE-ORGANIZATION PROPOSAL

OVERVIEW The USLA National Lifeguard Championships is the premier competitive event for professional lifeguards in the United States. The most outstanding ocean athletes in the nation come together for 3 days to contest a series of events that showcase the skills and abilities required to be excellent lifeguards.

The United States Lifesaving Association “owns” this event. As such the Association must be expected to hold an exceptional championship event. Athletes should be able to presume that the event will be held in a specific manner each year no matter where the championships are held. Host chapters or agencies should be able expect complete support from the USLA and should NOT be asked to do more than provide a safe, accessible, spacious beach and the appropriate number of lifeguards to provide beach and water safety for the duration of the event. It would be the responsibility of the USLA to vet the desired beach venue in advance to determine if there were appropriate accommodations, parking and other necessary infrastructure to hold the event as expected. Once a beach and affiliated agency or chapter was selected by the USLA, that host would be asked to acquire the appropriate permits to hold the event at their location. The USLA would be responsible for all remaining aspects of planning and holding the event.

The following pages contain re-organization proposals.

EVENT ORGANIZATION

* Change the National Championships into a 4-day event

* Make Junior Lifeguard Nationals a two day event: Wednesday and Thursday.

1. Begin with a few hours of registration for late signups, then a “parade of athletes” on the first morning

2. Hold all individual JG events on 3 separate age group courses on the first day

3. Hold all the relay events on the second day on one water course consecutively by age group

4. Finish with an awards ceremony at end of second day

* Hold the Masters Lifeguard National Championships on Thursday (2nd day of JG events) on one water course and one beach course; complete all eligible events, alternating men then women per age group

* Hold preliminary heats for designated events on Thursday (2nd day of JG events) on third water course and one beach course

Benefits of these changes: The Junior Guard Nationals is currently an overwhelming and exhausting day. Parents have a hard time watching children in more than one age group and teams have little interaction with each other. By making it a 2-day event, which is very common in youth sports, each day will be shorter and officials running the event will be less spent. Only one primary crew of JG officials will be needed for the second day of relays only, since it will all be run on one course consecutively. Adding crowd-pleasing aspects such as the parade of athletes and an awards ceremony will elevate the National event to the standing it deserves. By holding the entire Masters Nationals on Thursday, you free up many older competitors who are willing and able to assist with running the remaining 2 days of Lifeguard Nationals. You also enable those few Masters who still wish to compete in Open events the opportunity to do so, as the events will not overlap at the same time as they currently do. There will also be reduced equipment-sharing issues. Finally, only one primary crew of officials will be needed to run the Masters Nationals, which allows the remaining officials to run the preliminary lifeguard heats on the third course.

EVENT PARTICIPATION In addition to the current age group breakdown, we propose that an “Under 19” category be added for all 16-19 year old professional lifeguards. This is a standard age group in the rest of the world and is recognized in the ILS rules we use. With the reorganization of the National Championships, adding this age group for all eligible events will not add to the overall length of the days. Since Friday and Saturday of the National Championships will be dedicated to Open competitors and there will be three water courses available, one would be dedicated to Open events, one to Women’s events, and one to Under 19 events. RESPONSIBILITIES of each entity The USLA shall:

* Identify appropriate national championship locations throughout the United States, based upon basic requirements needed to run the event (near airports, adequate onsite or nearby accommodations, parking, wide beaches, good potential surf conditions, piers or other avenues for spectators and advertising, restaurants, etc).

* Seek major sponsors and establish contracts to provide event funding

* Train and maintain a Corp of Officials. Provide re-qualification training regularly.

* Provide the officials to run the championship event (see notes below).

* Provide the additional staff necessary to run a successful event (including those for registration, results, treasury, awards, etc.).

* Maintain insurance needed for National Championships and add the host agency, chapter or municipality each year as additional covered

* Provide all equipment and miscellaneous items needed to run the event: - water and beach course equipment

- staging and sound system rentals - computers and printers for registration - miscellaneous items: megaphones, whistles, clipboards, finish sticks, pens, paper, etc.

* Provide food, drinks, shade, etc for the officials and sponsors.

* Provide water (and ice as needed) for the athletes.

* Provide uniforms for the officials and an event T-shirt for competitors.

* Provide awards medals for Lifeguard competitors, medals and ribbons for Junior competitors, and trophies for team awards.

* Provide website for information, advertising, registration.

* Provide posters, banners, programs, and other event display.

* Provide event-specific gear/clothing with USLA Nationals branding.

* Handle all event advertising.

The Host Chapter/Agency shall:

* Pull all necessary or required permits needed to hold the event at the selected beach.

* Determine insurance needs required for permits; provide info to USLA.

* Hire the pre-determined number of lifeguards necessary to provide water and beach safety for the 4-day event.

* Assign at least two boats, PWCs or other suitable crafts with appropriate crew for the duration of the event; the craft will set the courses and then provide a platform for water judges.

* Provide a pre-determined number of volunteers and/or paid guards to assist the USLA officials and staff (runners, awards tables, recorders tables, etc). Will be offset by Masters Competitors who can volunteer.

* Provide T-shirt or other uniform for all the volunteer/paid staff members.

* Provide walkie-talkies or other radios for event communications

* Provide vehicles for equipment and surfboat transportation onto sand

* Seek local (small) sponsors for the event; such sponsors would pay a fee to have a booth at the event and show/sell their goods, product, or business (designated % of booth fee would go to USLA and the rest would help host pay for t-shirts and other necessities).

As part of the re-organization:

* The USLA shall receive all event sponsorship monies.

* The USLA shall receive all competitor registration fees.

* The USLA shall receive all donations or any other miscellaneous income.

* The USLA shall receive all advertising or TV royalties generated.

* The USLA shall receive a pre-determined portion of any income derived from local sponsors who have a booth at the event (example 25%).

* The USLA shall pay the host chapter/agency $2000 for the privilege of using the host’s beach. This amount is a minimum and is due at the conclusion of the event; amount shall be increased as the earnings from the National Championships increase.

* The host chapter/agency shall not have any fiduciary responsibility for the USLA National Championship event except that which would be required to provide the items and personnel listed above.

Note: providing the required personnel, vehicles and craft will often be an extreme financial burden for smaller chapters or agencies and the fee paid by the USLA may need to be increased for an event to be held at the desired location

IMPLEMENTATION:

In order to accomplish this re-organization in a successful manner, many ideas must be explored and examined. At a minimum, the following suggestions are made:

1. Raise the fee to race at the National Lifeguard Championships An increase in the competition race fees could raise the registration income to over $30,000.00 or more (depending upon the total number of competitors and when they register). The current race fee for the USLA’s premier national event is far less than the fee to race at other such premier competitive ocean events (triathlons, surf contests, stand-up paddle events, etc). It is absolutely time to raise the USLA National Championship event fee. The following is a suggestion for increasing the competition fee.

$10.00 Junior Guards (mandatory fee to cover expenses) $50.00 Lifeguards Early registration before July 15th $75.00 Lifeguards Late registration between 7/16 & 7/31 ***NO registration from August 1st until onsite registration opens*** $95.00 Lifeguards Onsite registration

2. Acquire a marketing agent to gain sponsorship money and do fundraising for the event.

This process has begun with the 2009-10 contract with the Issac Sports Group.

3. Designate a maximum number of officials from each region to receive a pre-determined stipend as compensation to officiate at the USLA National Championships.

In the interest of developing new officials, all interested persons would be encouraged to attend, but they would not receive stipends toward their travel expenses from the USLA (perhaps from their regions if available). Only the established Corp of Officials would be compensated. If a region did not field the maximum number of officials they were permitted, the Competition Chair could divert the remaining stipends to additional officials from other regions (example: if only 4 officials from SW travel to MA event, the Chair could pay 8 MA officials & 6 SA officials). Officials Breakdown: MA – 6 SA – 4 GC – 2 NW – 2 SW – 6 SE – 4 GL – 2 PI – 2 1 each : Registrar, Treasurer, Results Official, Awards Official

Total Corp of Officials receiving travel stipend = 32

The stipend each Official receives should be pre-determined using a standard formula which could be applied wherever the National Championships are held. Stipend Suggestion: Local Officials (from host region): No travel expenses, $50 stipend total for 4 days (should not need accommodations, but if so, increase stipend as appropriate) Regional Officials (from nearby regions): $400 travel expenses (flight and shared accommodations) Regional Officials (from GC & GL): $500 travel expenses (flight and shared accommodations) Cross-country or Island Officials: $600 travel expenses (flight and shared accommodations Amounts based on $120/night hotels shared by 2 officials for 5 nights = $300 each for room and remaining amount towards airfare or ground transportation depending upon distance traveling

Obviously, these stipends may not cover the entire Officials’ expenses, but should considerably offset the burden of travel costs to officiate at the Nationals. Officials shall receive uniforms, daily lunch and refreshments, and at least one dinner as well. In addition to providing training and regular re-qualifications to the Corp of Officials, the USLA shall develop a template for the requirements of lifeguards who will be working as water safety at the National event. There should be specific directions for the duties expected and the staging required for each event of Junior Lifeguard Nationals, Masters Nationals, Lifeguard Preliminary Heats, and Lifeguard Nationals so that the host agency or chapter can properly place their rescue vessels and their personnel for maximum safety and effectiveness. FINAL THOUGHTS: The USLA Competition Committee currently has requested and received $14,000 per fiscal year ($28,000 every 2 years) to fund the USLA National Team to travel to the World Lifesaving Championships at its designated locations. While it is agreed that our most elite team of athletes and their coaches/manager need to be supported to attend the ILS Worlds, it seems that there is a disproportionate amount of money set aside for a team of 15-20 USLA members to travel every other year. The annual USLA Lifeguard National Championships, the USLA’s most premier home event which regularly sees in excess of 400 Lifeguard members and at least 400 Junior Lifeguard members in attendance from throughout the nation, has no specific funding available at all. It seems almost inherently obvious that this should be changed.

It should be the goal of the USLA to primarily seek corporate sponsorship to fund the travel expenses of its National Team. This is no different that the US Olympic Team, which we seek to emulate, and all the other “professional” athletic organizations. Naturally if the entire expense is not offset by corporate sponsorship, the USLA Competition Committee could seek additional funding from the USLA treasury. Additionally, it is recommended that the National Team athletes bear some financial responsibility to travel to the Worlds, in order to maintain their commitment to training and preparation and ensure their attendance at the event. A small stipend required from each athlete should be established (i.e. $200). The current Competition Committee request should be reset to place $10,000 per year into a liability for the USLA National Lifeguard Championships. The remaining $4,000 per year currently established could be set aside for various international events, including the Sanyo Bussan Challenge and the International Surf Rescue Challenge as well as the Worlds (Rescue 2010, 2012, etc). Both of these budgeted amounts should gradually increase as USLA income increases. The annual $10,000 Nationals liability, in addition to the $30,000+ in registration fees, establishes a minimum working budget of $40,000 to fund the USLA National Lifeguard Championships. Naturally, additional monies would have to be sought from sponsors and/or donors in order to fully fund the event. This would be the role of a marketing agent such as the Issac Sports Group. The future of the United States Lifesaving Association National Lifeguard Championships depends upon a re-organization which rightly places the fiscal responsibility for holding the annual event on the parent organization. The USLA is the national body with connections to NOAA, CDC, YMCA, American Red Cross, and other recognized national bodies. As such only the USLA is in a position to gain ongoing large-scale corporate sponsorship for its many endeavors, including the National Championships. It is unreasonable and unfair to expect small chapters of lifeguards throughout the nation to bear the financial responsibility of hosting a national event such as our Championships. It is also unfair to ask chapters with somewhat better financing to repeatedly host the event due to the inability of any other locations to do so. The time has come for the USLA to become the host of the National Lifeguard Championships.

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Heroic Acts/Recognition, Awards, and Presentations

Committee Activity Report


Committee Chair: Adrienne Groh Introduction

I have finally completed nursing school and am getting back to the work of the Association. I appreciate all those who have stepped up to fill the gap created by my absence. Thank you to all of you. It will be great to see all of you in Galveston. I owe so much gratitude to Bill R and Nikki B for carrying me through all of this!

A. Activities and Accomplishments (since Williamsburg Board of Directors Meeting)

1. Received submissions that were discussed in committee.

2. Completed Citations and Medals of Valor for the following:

James Nothelfer of California State Parks Timothy Fellars of California State Parks Nate Buck of California State Parks

3. Completed and distributed Heroic Acts Certificates for the following:

Greg Wright, Southwest Region (non-lifeguard)

Jesse Toby, Southeast Region (non-open water lifeguard)

Jose Gonzales, Southeast Region (non-lifeguard)

Dr. Steven Nicholas, Mid-Atlantic Region (non-lifeguard)

Joseph Spatz, Mid-Atlantic Region (non-lifeguard)

4. Completed and distributed a National Lifesaving Certificate to:

Charleston County Lifeguards

5. We look forward to presenting the following awards at the Galveston meeting:

National Lifesaving Award - Galveston Island Beach Patrol

Heroic Acts Certificates to individual members of the Galveston Island Beach Patrol

B. Issues for Discussion and/or Resolution (at this Meeting)

1. Review of award submissions from Regions.

2. General discussion and review of awards program.

3. Medal of Valor costs

4. Submissions

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Junior Lifeguard

Activity Report


Committee Chair: Reenie Boyer

Committee Members:

NE – No Participation

MA – Denise Blair (Secretary), Tom Daly (Lead Official), Charlie Hartl, Bill Oat

GL – Andrew Braudy

NW – David Robinson

SA – Ron Watson

GC – Tony Pryor

SE – Bob West

SW – Charlotte Graham, Jon Mitchell (Junior Jam Editor)

PI – Kalani Vierra

Introduction

The USLA Junior Lifeguard Programs are in preparation for a safe and successful 2010 season.

Discussion Items: (At This Meeting)

1. JG Contest – We will review the 2010 contest ruler during our Committee meeting.

2. JG National Competition – During our Committee meeting we will receive an update on the 2010 event.

3. Junior Jam Publication – Please your articles and pictures by e-mail for the next Junior Jam section of the American Lifeguard Magazine. Looking for a volunteer to be the new Junior Jam editor.

4. USLA JG Program – At our Committee meeting we decide on our new goals objectives for this new term.

5. USLA JG Logo – Our JG Logo is in the process of being trademarked by our USLA President.

6. Junior Lifeguard USLA Membership – We will review registration guidelines and fees.

7. Round Table -

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MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Activity Report

Date: April 29, 2010 Galveston, TX

Committee Chair: Charlotte Graham Committee Co-chair: Charlie Hartl

Committee Members:

GC: Peter Davis GL: Joe Pecoraro MA: Denise Blair

NE: vacant NW: Bert Whitaker PI: Ralph Goto

SA: Mickey Hutto SE: Joe McManus SW: Robert Moore

Introduction

I am very pleased to be the new Chair of the USLA Membership Committee and look forward to continuing the great work and progress made by our outgoing Chair Charlie Hartl. I am grateful for his generous pledge to continue to assist me with this committee and it is not without some anxiety that I accept such a demanding position in our organization. I am eager to continue the expansion of our Association membership and look forward to working with all the Membership reps throughout our Regions.


1. Efforts to improve our current web-based membership program (Interfuse) continue, and the majority of the functions are now running well or accessible for use.

2. Have been working closely with Charlie Hartl and with Glen Suchecki of Uniserv, our membership processing company, to transition into my new position.

3. Completed the order for the membership bags and submitted artwork for the embroidered LG patch; forwarded artwork for the Junior Guard bumper sticker from the JG Committee 2009 winning artwork

4. Have been assisting President Brewster in his efforts to upgrade the USLA website by participating in webinars and offering membership-specific advice and information. This is due to the intended goal of the website upgrade to continue our current web-based membership sign-up and access, as well as potentially integrating our full membership database into the new system.

5. The 2010 USLA membership kit will include the following: personalized membership card, embroidered patch, new exterior window decal, and the embroidered barrel bag. Promo flyers with information on the DaFin and Hobie pro-deals will be included in the membership envelopes, and of course every member receives 3 issues of ALM with their membership. The Junior kit will include a membership card, bumper sticker, JG window decal and the Hobie pro-deal flyer.

6. The embroidered barrel bags are due to arrive at Uniserv around May 1st and will be shipped out to each

region shortly after. Based upon the decision of the Membership Committee to cost-share this item unless sponsorship monies became available, and with no information on funding via the Issac Sports Group as of yet, the Chair contacted a representative from each Region regarding payment for this item. The Treasurer should expect a check from each Region for $3.00 per bag for their pre-determined share of the total order of 5000 bags.

7. A chart of the 2009-10 Membership totals is included on page 2.

Issues for Discussion and/or Resolution (at this Meeting)

1. Discuss recommendations from Regions as to clarification of Article V, Section 2A of the Bylaws regarding the definition of a Professional Member of the USLA (per Committee direction at Williamsburg meeting).

2. Discuss related topic of “dual” or multiple membership.

3. Discuss offer of Accidental Death & Dismemberment benefit from American Income Life Insurance.

4. Discuss the Website & Membership database upgrade and list desired features of any new system.

5. Explore ideas for 2010-11 Membership kit items.

Page 2 of 2

2009-2010 TOTAL USLA MEMBERSHIP

Region AlumMemb

Life Memb

Prof Memb

Perptl Memb

Total Voting

Members

(Non-voting) Associate Members

Ass’t Junior Memb

Junior Guard Memb

Total Junior Memb

TOTAL MEMBERS

PER REGION

GREAT LAKES 1 3 13 0 17 2 7 6 13 32

GULF COAST 1 1 86 0 88 0 1 93 94 182

MID-ATLANTIC 16 6 1217 0 1239 12 2 714 716 1967

NEW ENGLAND 1 0 11 0 12 1 0 0 0 13

NORTHWEST 0 0 57 0 57 5 0 0 0 62

PACIFIC ISLANDS 0 0 13 0 13 1 0 0 0 14

SOUTH ATLANTIC 2 1 784 0 787 2 0 85 85 874

SOUTHEAST 20 3 511 1 535 14 9 1040 1049 1598

SOUTHWEST 91 13 1145 0 1249 37 5 6709 6714 8000

TOTALS 132 27 3837 1 3997 74 24 8647 8671 12,756

Page 1 of 1


Public Education Committee

Activity Report


Officer: Denise Blair


1. Beach Safety Challenge

Beach Safety Challenge will be held again this year. Participating agencies are asked to submit a written description of their events as well as pictures by July 15, 2010 to [email protected].

2. Public Education Activity/Coloring Book

The committee ordered 20,000 coloring books. Several agencies ordered coloring books at a cost of $0.25 per book to the agency.

3. Rip Current Banners

The committee will order 10 additional retractable Rip Current Banners. The banners will be distributed to the regions.

4. Lifeguard Board Game

5. Red Cross Tear Sheets

6. Web Rangers

DATE: 4/14/10 TO: NuMask, Inc. FROM: Thomas A. Green / EMS Division Chief SUBJECT: Product Review

Virginia Beach EMS received the Nu Mask CPR kit form one of our Marine

Rescue Team Members and Lifeguard Supervisor in March of this year. We have evaluated the product in our training simulations on manikins and found it to be a good solution to the standard pocket mask. The device was cleverly packaged and easily fit in our personal gear pouch, pocket, and first responder bag. We like how gloves and wipes are included making this a complete CPR product. We would recommend to other agencies to give your product a strong look as one of their solutions to a great CPR / Airway device and solid performer in personal protection. Sincerely, Thomas A Green Division Chief Virginia Beach Department of EMS

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES 757-385-1999 FAX: 757-431-3019 [email protected]

477 VIKING DRIVE VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA

23452

Page 1 of 2


American Lifeguard Magazine

Activity Report

Date: Spring 2010

Committee Chair: Michael S. Bartlett

Committee Members:

Charlie Hartl, Mike Beuerlein, Joe McManus, Phil Rogers, Andrew Healey, Jo Wagenhals, Peter Hartsock, Peter Davis, Jon Mitchell


1. The Winter 2010 Issue was completed and mailed out in early April. Extra copies will be available by special request only via my email [email protected]. I’ve had a very challenging winter as my father passed away in mid-November from a slip and fall accident. I want to personally thank all those who took the time out of their busy schedules to express their condolences in cards, emails and phone calls. For those who can relate to losing a parent, the experience really puts life in perspective and you certainly appreciate the value of family time as well as the comfort of the many friends within the lifesaving family who offered support. In other news, professionally, I stepped up to the role of President of the Huntington Beach Marine Safety Management Association and have been battling to keep lifeguards at our local Dog Beach where all lifeguards including routine patrols were eliminated (responding only to 911 water related emergencies). Mr. Beuerlein will be happy to share more with you later and he will be able to conduct business again in my absence. Please give ALM articles or photos to him or email me. He will conduct a meeting if necessary (no pending issues at this time). Bill Richardson will likely continue as the official meeting photographer for the ALM but I will continue to accept any other photos if submitted.

2. The regional editorial oversight of articles appears to be doing well. I allow Regional Presidents input on the ALM for a 5-day period prior to going to print. For the last two issues, there were no controversial items and very few errors. This process continues to create a little delay in production but has proven to be a valuable resource for cross referencing the facts with the Regional Presidents.

3. The $100 cover shot incentive for the Winter 2010 Issue was awarded to Kyle Lindo of Costa Mesa, CA, who obtained permission from Hurley to use the photo. He subsequently gave the money to the Hurley representative who shot it last summer at Huntington Beach during the US Open of Surfing.

4. Our membership continues to reap the benefits of reduced ALM printing costs combined with our non-profit mailing status reflecting a record low in per issue cost of $0.425 per issue! Total gross ad revenue was $7,115.00 nearly covering our printing costs! Despite the slumping economy, advertising revenue remains strong for the next year. Please see the attached ALM Budget for details on Budget vs. Actual Costs. Thanks to all those who contributed in the last issue.

5. The Spring Issue deadline for content is May 15. Printing and mailing deadline is June 15.

6. The ALM Budget for 2009/10 is included as a separate attachment and is based on 12,500 issues. If our membership totals change, the printing and mailing costs will change respectively. I will be sure to update the new numbers for the 2010-11 ALM Budget.

7. I had a good discussion with our new marketing promoter Stu Isaac regarding several key issues relating to our magazine. First, the ALM is the ONLY professional magazine for open water lifesavers. Second, my experience with advertisers is that most of them would likely NOT advertise in our magazine if it was solely in an electronic format, although they did appreciate the fact the ALM is available in perpetuity on our website. Three, due to our non-profit mailing status, we cannot


Page 2 of 2

exceed 60% advertising in the ALM so essentially we do not need any help in generating new advertising for the next year. And, the ALM advertising nearly pays for the printing costs. Lastly, I told Stu that he had my support in an effort to capitalize on the synergies between the ALM, National Competitions, National Conferences, Website, etc. to strengthen our organization as a whole. We have been trying this concept for some time now without much success but I believe with a creative marketing plan, it will work. Giving sponsors options in a basket of advertising or marketing channels, should prove to be more lucrative in attracting higher end clients. The ALM certainly should be included in this basket the USLA could provide.


1. No pending issues at this time.

Page 1 of 2


American Lifeguard Magazine

Activity Report

Date: Spring 2010

Committee Chair: Michael S. Bartlett

Committee Members:

Charlie Hartl, Mike Beuerlein, Joe McManus, Phil Rogers, Andrew Healey, Jo Wagenhals, Peter Hartsock, Peter Davis, Jon Mitchell


1. The Winter 2010 Issue was completed and mailed out in early April. Extra copies will be available by special request only via my email [email protected]. I’ve had a very challenging winter as my father passed away in mid-November from a slip and fall accident. I want to personally thank all those who took the time out of their busy schedules to express their condolences in cards, emails and phone calls. For those who can relate to losing a parent, the experience really puts life in perspective and you certainly appreciate the value of family time as well as the comfort of the many friends within the lifesaving family who offered support. In other news, professionally, I stepped up to the role of President of the Huntington Beach Marine Safety Management Association and have been battling to keep lifeguards at our local Dog Beach where all lifeguards including routine patrols were eliminated (responding only to 911 water related emergencies). Mr. Beuerlein will be happy to share more with you later and he will be able to conduct business again in my absence. Please give ALM articles or photos to him or email me. He will conduct a meeting if necessary (no pending issues at this time). Bill Richardson will likely continue as the official meeting photographer for the ALM but I will continue to accept any other photos if submitted.

2. The regional editorial oversight of articles appears to be doing well. I allow Regional Presidents input on the ALM for a 5-day period prior to going to print. For the last two issues, there were no controversial items and very few errors. This process continues to create a little delay in production but has proven to be a valuable resource for cross referencing the facts with the Regional Presidents.

3. The $100 cover shot incentive for the Winter 2010 Issue was awarded to Kyle Lindo of Costa Mesa, CA, who obtained permission from Hurley to use the photo. He subsequently gave the money to the Hurley representative who shot it last summer at Huntington Beach during the US Open of Surfing.

4. Our membership continues to reap the benefits of reduced ALM printing costs combined with our non-profit mailing status reflecting a record low in per issue cost of $0.425 per issue! Total gross ad revenue was $7,115.00 nearly covering our printing costs! Despite the slumping economy, advertising revenue remains strong for the next year. Please see the attached ALM Budget for details on Budget vs. Actual Costs. Thanks to all those who contributed in the last issue.

5. The Spring Issue deadline for content is May 15. Printing and mailing deadline is June 15.

6. The ALM Budget for 2009/10 is included as a separate attachment and is based on 12,500 issues. If our membership totals change, the printing and mailing costs will change respectively. I will be sure to update the new numbers for the 2010-11 ALM Budget.

7. I had a good discussion with our new marketing promoter Stu Isaac regarding several key issues relating to our magazine. First, the ALM is the ONLY professional magazine for open water lifesavers. Second, my experience with advertisers is that most of them would likely NOT advertise in our magazine if it was solely in an electronic format, although they did appreciate the fact the ALM is available in perpetuity on our website. Three, due to our non-profit mailing status, we cannot


Page 2 of 2

exceed 60% advertising in the ALM so essentially we do not need any help in generating new advertising for the next year. And, the ALM advertising nearly pays for the printing costs. Lastly, I told Stu that he had my support in an effort to capitalize on the synergies between the ALM, National Competitions, National Conferences, Website, etc. to strengthen our organization as a whole. We have been trying this concept for some time now without much success but I believe with a creative marketing plan, it will work. Giving sponsors options in a basket of advertising or marketing channels, should prove to be more lucrative in attracting higher end clients. The ALM certainly should be included in this basket the USLA could provide.


1. No pending issues at this time.

2009-2010 ALM Projected Per Issue Budget (Printing & Mailing Costs)

EXPENSES Per Issue

Printing 12,500 issues (20 COLOR pages + 16 B&W) 7,527.00$ $0.602 each

Alternations to proof (scanning/design) 250.00$

Mailing @ $0.30 per magazine (est. per zip code) 3,750.00$

Mailing Services (printing addresses) 1,000.00$

Cover Shot Incentive 100.00$

RoadRunner High Speed ISP (Mike Bartlett) 120.00$

Graphics & Design (Jennifer Velasquez $30 x 30 hrs.) 1,000.00$

13,747.00$

ALM Annual Budget Allocation ($60,000) 41,241.00$ 3 issues

per year

REVENUE w/o ads

Advertising (estimated target) 5,333.33$

5,333.33$ 16,000.00$ Est. Annual Income

TOTAL PROJECTED COST PER ISSUE $8,413.67 $0.673 each

25,241.00$ Annual Projection

Actual Per Issue Cost

EXPENSES Winter 2010

Printing 13,185 issues (20 Color + 16 B&W) 8,047.00$

Alterations to proof -$

Mailing @ $0.295 per magazine 3,040.86$

Mailing Services 652.00$

Office (cover shot, stamps, misc. items) 100.00$

Graphics & Design ($30/hr.) 875.44$

TOTAL EXPENSES 12,715.30$

REVENUE (advertising) 7,115.00$

TOTAL ACTUAL (minus revenue) 5,600.30$

$0.425 each

1-Ad commissions for Editor vary from 0-30% (contract origination);only paid when ad is paid in full

2-Ad revenue shows maximum billing total (may vary depending on billing cycle & ability to collect debt)

3-Printing totals increased due to membership mailing list problem (last issue was at 12,500)

4-Dramatic decrease in printing costs due to deflationary competitive bidding/renegotiation and paper size reduction

5-If there are any discrepanies, please refer to the USLA Treasurer's Report for exact numbers to date

Page 1 of 4


Sign Standards

Activity Report


Officer: Ralph S. Goto


1. Sign Standards Committee chair has responded to five (5) requests for warning sign design templates from agencies across the United States.


1. Approve attached Rip Current Warning Sign

Page 2 of 4

Attachments

Page 3 of 4 1.

Page 4 of 4

USLA National Statistics Report 2009 as of 4/24/2010 1


National Lifesaving Statistics Report 2009

Since it’s inception as the National Surf Life Saving Association in 1964, the chapters and agencies involved in lifesaving efforts in the United States have endeavored to record the activity performed by their lifeguards. These records have been compiled in a statistical format to record the various categories of activity performed by these agencies. The Association, now known as the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA), has published this information for many years for several purposes. The main function is to educate the public about the profession of lifesaving. The statistics also serve to highlight particular professional areas of interest, provide tools in agency budget development, and further the knowledge base about the open water environment. This report highlights the 2009 statistics of the USLA. Complete records of USLA statistics dating to 1960 may be downloaded from USLA's Website at www.usla.org.

The United States Lifesaving Association

The United States Lifesaving Association is a non-profit, professional organization of lifeguards who work at open water beaches (both surf and inland). Members are organized into chapters, which are generally formed by reason of a common employer of the member lifeguards. Since this is not a union, membership extends to all ranks of lifeguards and there is strong participation from management level employees through line lifeguards. Open water lifeguard agencies, most of which are governmental bodies, participate in USLA through their employees and benefit through various means, such as promulgation of public safety material, collection and dissemination of statistics, development of lifeguard educational material, and the USLA Lifeguard Agency Certification Program.

Beaches, Collection and Categories

The USLA collects lifesaving statistics for all beaches affiliated agencies and also accepts reports from other ocean beaches indirectly associated with the USLA. The collection efforts date to 1960 and for much of the first twenty years, focused exclusively on California beaches, especially the greater Los Angeles area. In the late 1980's, collection efforts began in earnest for the entire United States. This reporting system reflects more than twenty years of active national statistics collection, with a gradual progression from a west coast based report to the more national look presented here. USLA now reports lifesaving statistics from nine geographical regions of its organization. Typically, approximately 85 or more agencies/beaches report each year. These include most of the major United States beach lifeguard agencies such as Los Angeles County, State of California, Cities of San Diego and Huntington Beach, California, City and County of Honolulu, Volusia County and Ft Lauderdale, Florida, and Long Beach and Cape May, New Jersey.


2009 National Lifesaving Statistics

Beach Attendance 287,367,936

Rescues Total 72,575 Rip 32,214 Surf 6,897 Swift 294 Scuba 948

Cliff Rescue 84

Boat Rescues Rescues 3,182 Passengers 7,164 Value $ 80,889,315

Boat Assists Rescues 5,027 Passengers 10,518 Value $ 69,758,563

Preventive Actions 5,594,744

Medical Aids Total 241,714 Major 12,139 Minor 229,575

Drowning Deaths (Unguarded) Total 87 Rip 25 Surf 4 Scuba 1 Drop-Off 1 Alc/Drugs 4 Ability 17 Floatation 0 Other 8

Drowning Deaths (Guarded) Total 19

Rip 4 Surf 4 Scuba 0 Drop-Off 1 Alc/Drugs 0 Ability 3 Floatation 0 Other 4

Other Fatalities 49 Enforcements Warnings 1,129,746

Boat/PWC 22,725 Citations 5,655 Arrests 1,006

Lost/Found Persons 13,110

Public Education Lectures 10,215 Students 255,203

Table 1

The 2009 statistics report shows general increases in most categories. While there is a slight increase in reporting agencies from last year, several larger agencies from California have not yet reported and the categories should again rise in comparison to 2008. Anecdotally, several reporting agencies are attributing the increase to the effects of the economy and ‘staycations.’


At the time of the writing of this report, 99 agencies are providing their statistics. In 2007, USLA saw the largest number of reporting agencies in the history of the USLA statistics at 109, and the reporting agencies should exceed 100 again this year. Rescues appear to be in line with current trends as do Preventive Actions. Medical aids are one of the few categories showing a decline. Lost Persons are up substantially again after a decline in 2008. Significant to the reports this year is primary cause reporting for Drowning Death. Among the most frequent questions or requests USLA receives from media and academic sources are requests for such information. This report details the sixth year of reports. Caution should be taken in reviewing this information. First, it represents only data that the agency reports. In some cases, the agency has declined to offer a primary cause. Second, it will take at least ten years to establish data for potential analysis.

Five Year Comparison

Category

Beach Attendance

Rescues

Preventive Actions

Medical Aids

Boat Rescues

Passengers

Vessel Value

Drowning Deaths

Drowning Deaths (Unguarded)

Drowning Deaths (Guarded)

Lost And Found Persons

Public Safety Lectures

Students Attending

Reporting Agencies

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

256,763,571 245,838,965 281,422,622 274,972,679 287,367,936

52,110 64,469 74,463 71,981 72,575

3,899,915 4,227,303 4,916,770 4,467,505 5,594,744

223,521 204,631 252,202 272,148 241,714

2,425 4,610 4,042 3,875 3,182

3,729 3,879 9,203 8,864 7,164

$78,261,601 $64,857,530 $145,023,860 $73,285,155 $80,889,315

83 100 109 101 106

71 89 89 83 87

12 11 20 18 19

9,535 9,691 16,729 10,423 13,110

7,554 10,801 22,184 9,267 10,215

314,002 582,776 448,316 321,700 255,203

88 85 109 98 99

Table 2

Beach activity levels show little change in such areas as Drowning Death, where totals and percentages have remained stable over the last ten years. While the total number has decreased from 2007, the ratio of guarded to unguarded remains relatively stable. Following a


predictable pattern, the number of guarded drowning deaths remained small and the ratio between unguarded and guarded has remained relatively stable for over ten years. The National Statistics Coordinator cautions that the 2009 statistics must be viewed carefully if any long term trend analysis or forecasting is contemplated. This report comprises the totals from beaches in each of the USLA's regional councils. In 1997, the USLA received reports from 105 beaches and 92 in 1998. This year, the total number of reporting beaches has increased again from the last few years to 99, up from from 85 in 2006, but off the 109 from last year. Stronger accountability in relation to the USLA Lifeguard Agency Certification program, discussed below, accounts for the increase. As such, representative samples should be taken on an agency to agency comparative model, or on a long term model for national numbers for any forecasting or trend analysis.

Primary Causes of Rescues

Using the data developed in 1994-2004 the USLA has identified the Primary Cause of Rescue

to be predominately from Rip Currents. The data developed has been analyzed in several ways. First, from the perspective of all reporting agencies, the data provided indicates rip currents account for roughly 45% of all rescues performed by the USLA. However, this analysis must be adjusted for environmental conditions. First, the data includes reports from agencies that operate open water/lake beaches without these conditions. Second, several of the reporting agencies were unable to redesign their reporting procedures to identify all of the causes. Thus, well over 20,000 rescues are not attributed to cause and thus classified in the analysis as 'other.' USLA is encouraging agencies to begin to carefully collect this data in the future. In order to compensate for these conditions, the data was evaluated to identify the agencies that should be included in the primary cause analysis, which would be those situated on surf beaches. This analysis finds the predominant cause of rescues again to be rip currents, exceeding 82% of all rescues. California beaches recorded a more significant percentage for rip currents and the percentage rose in 1998 to 90.12%.

Links to National Certification System

The USLA has linked the national statistics reporting system to the Lifeguard Agency Certification program. First, all agencies that are certified by USLA are required to submit their agency activity annually in order to maintain certification in good standing. Second, the Certification program distributes statistics notices to all identified agencies each winter to assist in statistics collection. This relationship has been highly beneficial, with a number of non-USLA chapter reports included in the 2008 statistics. This year’s reports identify 99 agencies to date and it is not hard to speculate that full reporting by Chapters and certified agencies could result in recording over 100,000 rescues annually. For example, over 50 agencies along the Atlantic seaboard and Chicago, which generally recorded more than five thousand rescues annually, have reported in the past, but failed to do so this year.


MEMORANDUM

DATE: April 24, 2010

TO: Board of Directors

FROM: Rick Gould, National Statistics Coordinator

SUBJECT: National Lifesaving Statistic Delinquent Agencies as of 4/23/2010

Pursuant to the direction of the Board of Directors, please find below the list of currently

certified agencies in the Lifeguard Agency Certification Program who have not submitted their

required statistics for 2010. I have attempted to communicate with all of the agencies to inform

them of the duty to report.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Aloha Surf Lifesaving, HI

ARCVLSC/Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue, FL

Cape May Beach Patrol, NJ

Deerfield Beach, FL

Hawaii (County of), HI

Imperial Beach (City of) Lifeguard Service, CA

Jacksonville (City of) Dept. of Parks and Rec., FL

Los Angeles (City of) Aquatics Division, CA

Maui County, HI

Mauna Kea Beach Resort, HI

Martin County Emergency Services, FL

Neptune Beach, FL

North Island Lifeguard Service, San Diego, CA

Oceanside, CA

Pompano Beach Ocean Rescue, FL

San Francisco Fire Dept. ARRT, CA

Sarasota County Lifeguards, FL

Sea Girt Beach Patrol, NJ

Seal Beach (City of) Lifeguard Dept., CA

Page 1 of 1


Website Committee

Activity Report


Committee Chair: Rob Williams

Committee Members:

Working Group Committee – Members at large

Introduction

It has been my pleasure to take over the website committee duties. It has been a challenge to keep pace with today’s technology and user needs. We realize that the website needs a complete overhaul and it is the committee’s goal to accomplish this very soon.


1. Update website emails to new USLA Officers and Regional Officers.

2. Work with host to update specific pages.

3. Worked with USLA President and Membership Committee to find proposals on new web host, which would be inclusive of Member Database and new web design.


1. Website proposal/memorandum from USLA President

Attachments

1. USLA President Memorandum

UNITED STATES LIFESAVING ASSOCIATION M E M O R A N D U M

DATE: April 2, 2010 TO: Rob Williams, Treasurer Charlotte Graham, Membership Chair Charlie Hartl, Executive Delegate FROM: B. Chris Brewster SUBJ: USLA Website Upgrade Options This memorandum is intended to provide some options for consideration in upgrading the USLA’s website. It is based on input from each of you, a review of various articles, participation in three webinars, a review of the websites of the companies, and extensive follow-up with three companies. BACKGROUND Many years ago, the Board of Directors agreed to allow me to create a website for the USLA. It was one of the first websites for associations and seemingly appreciated by our members. It was custom designed, which allowed us to be very specific in the design, but which also required (and requires) a fee for any changes. That website is now understandably considered archaic in web terms, especially for an association wishing to encourage membership and participation by members. The fee based change model also discourages regular updating, and we are of course constrained by any limits on the expertise of our provider. Compared to other organizations, aspects of member relations, in particular, seem to be holding us back from meeting our full potential. However, our funds and resources are limited in designing a new, custom site. In doing the background work for this memorandum, I began with the following basic assumptions.

Goals

1) Maintain the current offerings on our website, but upgrade the look and feel. 2) Allow the website to be regularly updated inexpensively or free, ideally by a non-

technical volunteer or volunteers (including the Secretary and various committee chairs). 3) Allow integration of membership sign-up and access, so that members can sign-up

online, update their profiles online, be electronically reminded when membership is to expire, and have access to password protected areas as a member.

4) Integrate our member database and collect demographic information that can be used in sponsorship pitches.

5) Allow for event registration (versus scoring), which could include meetings and seminars, for example.

I have included some more detailed desired features in Attachment 1, based on your collaborative input. It seems clear that there are two primary options in proceeding. One is to contract with a company to create a new custom website. This is what we did initially and we remain with the original contractor. This approach was trendsetting at the beginning, but our website is now dated. We could clearly select a new contractor. However, using this approach would likely mean that we would pay for each new feature we might like or adjustments thereto, even though many of the features we would want are common to many other associations. The second option is to go with a provider of association management software and services that would offer most of what we desire at a pre-determined cost, allowing us to handle most of the updates ourselves, accepting that some features we desire may simply be unavailable. The relative benefits of custom versus off-the-shelf can be found through this hyperlink, if you are reading this memorandum electronically, or on the website of www.internet4associations.com. Please recognize that this is a biased presentation from one of the evaluated companies. A third option is a blend of the above. In that option, we would use an off-the-shelf system, but continue to use customized approaches for specific needs that the system cannot handle. The advantage here would be less cost, overall, but leaves the door open for customizing in cases that the overall system doesn’t meet each of our needs. An example of this might be our agency statistics, which may be too complex and customized for a standardized system. There are a number of options available. Two articles proved particularly helpful to my review:

http://www.idealware.org/articles/fgt_ams.php http://www.idealware.org/articles/low_cost_integrated.php

Some of the options noted in the aforementioned articles are aimed at specific groups with a focus inconsistent with ours. For example, Democracy in Action (democracyinaction.org) is targeted at advocacy groups, so its features are skewed in that direction. Another example is Network for Good's Donor Management Suite (groundspring.org/services/dms.cfm), which is aimed at donor management. EVALUATION PROCESS In total, I reviewed 18 options. Once I narrowed the focus to five of these sites, I participated in three interactive webinars, ranging in length from 1 – 1½ hours. Since each offers a wide range of features, which are difficult to compare directly, I assembled a table of the major features, and sent these tables to each of three of the companies. I asked each one to fill them out and return them, which they did. That comparison of costs and features can be found in Attachment 2. This is probably the most useful part of this memorandum. It is important to note that the systems outlined in these articles and referenced in this memorandum are primarily association management solutions. They are not primarily aimed at

2


http://www.internet4associations.com/

http://www.idealware.org/articles/fgt_ams.php

http://www.idealware.org/articles/low_cost_integrated.php

website hosting, although those I have called out below allow for building web pages. Since we are an association of members and want to try to serve, manage, and increase membership, as well as encourage donations, this aspect is potentially enormously valuable. Some associations would use these features and have their own separate websites, to which these features would be a “plug-in.” However, the options highlighted in this memorandum allow us to both host our website and offer integrated member/donor relationships. Each option offers standard templates or allows us to design a custom look and feel. Each of these systems involves a fully integrated database. A member can sign-up, pay online, make changes to member data as appropriate (e.g. address), renew, etc. We can send reminders for membership sign-up, override the system to sign up members, etc. In some cases, described later, memberships can be set up to automatically remind members or even automatically renew members. This could greatly ease the burden and reliance on chapters for recruiting and encouraging members to renew, as the system could automatically perform some or all of this. Depending on how we proceed, we could decide to eliminate the current fixed membership year concept and simply make people a member for 12 months (maybe with a grace period), from the time of payment. (This would require a change in our membership card printing.) In this case, the member would then control the membership year, as is typical for many associations. Each system allows for the creation of custom forms to allow for event sign-up. In the simplest example, Board of Directors meeting forms could easily be created to allow individuals interested to sign up and pay online for various options (e.g. meals), to pay only for the educational conference, etc. Also, we can require, if we wish, that people be members to do this. In a more complex example, we can arrange registration for the Nationals, requiring people to first log-in, thus demonstrating that they are a member before signing up, and also that they are an appropriate class of member to participate. This signup database can be exported to the scoring system we already own. An added bonus is that the regions could use the system for their event sign-ups (competition and meetings/seminars) and that would have no additional cost. Each option allows us to create pages at will and at no additional cost, in a fairly simplified what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) process. This would allow, for example, the Public Education Committee to add or modify pages as desired, subject to approval of the administrator. Some providers allow levels of access, which restrict certain pages to members at certain levels. For example, we could create forums, but decide that only professional members and alumni members can post messages on the forums. (We could also have pages that only members of the Board of Directors could see, to upload materials or share information via blogs.) This has the potential of creating member value, by allowing only USLA members to view certain pages and information. An example might be the current Job Bulletin Board, where we could require, at minimum, Associate Member level (open to anyone), to view the BB, or even a website access fee. This would force non-members to pay a fee to read job offerings. These sites can be used for ecommerce, allowing us to sell items from the site. This feature may or many not be desirable, but several of the offerings allow the collection of sales tax, shipping, etc. In any case, this feature would be good for event sign-ups, as previously explained.

3

All of the options allow for some form of email blasts to members, in some cases standard newsletters and the like. It appears that they can be targeted, for example, to professional members only, juniors only, or to a given chapter only. Some options include the possibility of subgroups. This could allow, for example, all the members of Chapter X to all see each other (their fellow members) and to see information on what is going on. The chapter leader, in the case of one provider, could upload information about upcoming events. This could allow creation of de facto mini-websites by chapters without them, again creating member (and chapter) value, and helping chapters in their recruiting. RECOMMENDATIONS The top five options for us appeared to me to be the following:

Wild Apricot – Cost: $2,160/yr. Comments: This is perhaps the cheapest, simplest, and easiest to use of all the solutions. However, it is aimed at somewhat smaller organizations and has a database limit of 15,000. (They advise that you can go beyond the limit, but the database will slow down.) Its blast email capabilities appear to be limited and it is a bit unclear how chapters would interrelate. Its website content management tool is strong. Internet4Associations – Cost $4,435/yr. Comments: This is a much more robust system, able to handle a larger database, and includes a variety of additional, valuable options. A concern about this one is the add-on costs for support and assistance. A value of this one is the ability to integrate our existing, highly valued, statistics page, for a set-up fee. Z2 Neon – Cost $4,788/yr. Comments: This system appears to be much more customize-able, but a somewhat more wonky interface. It appears to me that we get more flexibility, at the price of a bit more complication. I may have been tired of webinars when I got to this one, but I found it a bit confusing. Your Membership – Cost $5,995/yr. Comments: While seemingly more expensive, many features that have a cost in the two prior examples are included here. This has a very intuitive approach. A particular strength is the interrelationships of the members it allows, including unlimited local chapter mini websites and monitoring, as well as connections to Facebook and Linked-in. A downside is that they do not seem to be able to have any way to recreate our statistics page, so we would need to arrange a custom solution at a cost. A resource list, including a recorded webinar can be found here: http://www.yourmembership.com/resources/ Affiniscape – Cost $9,500/yr plus, setup fee $7,000 (est.) This is a more customized solution that would avoid some of the off-the-shelf limitations. It is unclear from their website what they might charge for the features we desire and it seemed out of our price-range, so I have only included it as a possibility in case the preceding seem too limiting.

My opinion is that any of these would represent a substantial improvement to our present site and that we should move forward expeditiously. Each of them does offer some method whereby we

4

http://www.wildapricot.com/


http://www.z2systems.com/

http://www.yourmembership.com/

http://www.yourmembership.com/resources/

http://www.affiniscape.com/index.cfm

could pay a fee for a transfer from our existing site, which we might well wish to consider, as we have only so much time. Alternatively, one or more of us could do the work at no cost. After that transfer, we should be able to do most of the work ourselves, but we will need to candidly evaluate who will have the time and skills to oversee this. We would probably wish to start with limited access, then figure out how to allow further access. I realize that these costs may seem high to some, however, I have a feeling that this approach could substantially improve our membership numbers. We would not need to rely anywhere near as much on local chapter recruiting, which would lessen the burden on chapters and likely increase member sign-up and retention, perhaps even after lifeguards move on to other professions (i.e. become lifeguard alumni). The creation of password protected areas on the site, restricted to members, could encourage membership. Offering local chapter sites, or at least the ability to see others who are in your chapter, could increase interest. Annual reminders, similar to other membership organizations, would target members individually and remind them to renew. Our administrative headaches would decline substantially, since most members would enter and update their own data. Overall, we would likely be perceived as a much more professional membership organization. The features in some of these programs, if we had them custom designed, would cost far more. Each system mentioned that as they add features, they typically include them at no additional cost. Z2Neon, for example, said that if a customer asks for a custom application, they are charged for it, but if it looks like it would have broad appeal, they then offer it to everyone as an added feature at no cost. I propose that you review this memorandum and attachments, particularly Attachment II. (Please pay close attention to the footnotes, as they clarify a number of issues.) I suggest that we then consider jointly participating in webinars for all three, or at least the top two. My perception of them and yours may well be different. Each webinar is one hour long and would allow us to jointly review all this information and collaboratively ask questions. Obviously I have participated in webinars for all three, and Charlie in one, but I think it is worth the time for me to hear them again. In the case of Your Membership, there is a recorded webinar you can review at your leisure, which is noted in the overview of that company on a prior page of this memorandum. You could review that at your leisure and we could later get on a webinar with them for questions only. I’d recommend going through that one anyway, as an example of what is offered. Attachment I USLA Website – Current Features to Retain Attachment II USLA Website Options Comparison Attachment III Yourmembership.com brochure Attachment IV Internet4Associations brochure Attachment V Z2Neon brochure

5

1

Attachment I USLA Website – Current Features to Retain

Sponsor recognition (logo and link) Home page with links to key items Donation page (mail-in check system) Membership sign-up process for all membership levels Various information pages (e.g. International Life Saving Federation information) National structure page with map, geographic boundaries, and links to regional officers-needs

update List of officers and special assignments with email links (needs update) Lifeguard agency database Document upload areas for key documents (e.g. Bylaws and Lifeguard Library) Statistics – Interactive database for uploading by agencies and public viewing Bulletin Boards Public Education home page, including educational quizzes for kids Video uploads (publics service announcements) Lifeguard salary interactive database Store American Lifeguard Magazine database Hidden site for distribution of Board meeting materials to Board members Hidden site for distribution of Certification materials Certified agency list Email aliases for officers (needs update)

USLA Website – New Features Desired

Enhanced, updated home page, including current events Easy modification and addition of pages at no cost by key USLA officials (e.g. committee chairs) Bulletin boards restricted to use by USLA members (site login compared to USLA membership) Certified agency database, with contacts Corporate membership sign-up Donation page (via credit card or mail-in check) Member database Member sign-in for view of certain pages Membership reminders and sign-up (annual) Agency database – enhanced (being developed by Charlie) NOTE: Should be relational, so that

changes in one area are updated in others. Enhanced sponsor recognition opportunities Regional sub-sites controlled by regions Chapter sub-sites that can be restricted to members thereof, to encourage membership Event sign-up (nationals, maybe regionals) Photo Gallery – Updated Live Surf Links Competition Results – Archive Competition Database

Attachment 2 Website Provider Comparisons

Your

Membership .com

Internet 4

Associations

Z2 Neon Feature

$5,995 $4,435 $5,3881 COST ANNUAL Possibly $02 $175/hr3 $5,2494 COST FOR INITIAL SETUP (not website design) None None None COST TO DESIGN WEBSITE USING STANDARD TEMPLATES Consultant5 $175/hr $6,7496 COST FOR CUSTOM DESIGN AND SETUP Included $175/hr7 Included8 SUPPORT Included $175/hr9 Included10 TRAINING None 200MB11 60GB12 WEBSITE SIZE LIMIT None None None WEBSITE PAGE LIMIT None 5 None13 LIMIT ON NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS WEBSITE BUILDER Yes Yes Yes Can use as main website Yes Yes Yes Can have unlimited pages on website Yes Yes Yes Fully integrated website content manager Yes Yes Yes What you see is what you get WYSIWYG Yes No No14 Standard site design included in cost Yes Yes15 Sort of16 Standard website design templates (free) Yes Yes Yes Custom website designs (for a fee) Yes Yes Sort of17 Search engine optimization Yes Yes Yes Can use own web address (www.usla.org) Yes Yes Yes Manual control over site metatags Yes Yes Yes Can include sponsor advertising No Yes18 Yes19 Can create custom database (e.g.

http://www.usla.org/Statistics/public.asp) 1 This is the cost for 15k-25k people in the NEON database & Our Basic Web Hosting Package with CMS 2 Standard price is $1,495. Sometime after participating in a webinar, they offered Charlie Hartl a fee waiver, perhaps not understanding the connection with USLA 3 Support for initial set-up is free for 60 days with a three year commitment. 4 NEON & OpenCMS using our Import Template for data import 5 They recommend some outside services to handle and provided no quote 6 With Member Pages Viewable by Type of Member & Adding Authorize.net CC Vendor 7 Support contract recommended, which provides 2 hrs per month at $150 and $135 after. 8 Web Support Center, Recorded Training, Help Videos, Setup & User Guides are included. 9 Four hours free with three year commitment. $135/hr with support contract. 10 “Live” Personal 4-5 hour Web Training is included 11 Additional storage is billable at .20/MB/Month. 12 Additional for $2/GB 13 Five free. Unlimited for $20 each. 14 We upload your templates and give you control to easily build out your website using them. For $5,000 we can also offer full original web design. 15 Some basic ones for free or custom for a fee, see: http://design.internet4associations.com/ 16 We upload your templates and give you control to easily build out your website using them. For $5,000 we can also offer full original web design. 17 We offer basic recommendations for SEO and the CMS helps promote good SEO 18 Three year commitment includes four hours of graphic design integration. Additional hours billable by the hour. 19 This would use our NEON database which has many customizable features

1

http://design.internet4associations.com/

FORMS Yes Yes Yes Can create customized, dynamic forms Yes Yes Yes Secure forms for ecommerce Yes Yes Yes Can include waivers (liability) in forms MEMBERSHIP DATABASE Yes Yes Yes Direct member controlled application and data entry Yes Yes Yes Member controlled data updates Yes Yes Yes Administrator controlled data updates and renewals Yes Yes Yes Can manually or automatically approve a member Yes Yes Yes Unlimited membership categories Yes20 No21 Yes Automatic deduction option (e.g. monthly, yearly) Yes Yes Yes Searchable member database Yes Yes Yes Can have organization (e.g. corporate) members No22 Yes Yes23 Member change history Yes Yes Yes Unlimited demographic fields for members Yes Yes Yes Financial transaction history by member No24 Yes Yes25 Can batch deposit checks Yes No Yes Facebook, Linked-In, etc. links Yes No No Member can create buddy list PASSWORD PROTECTED AREAS Yes Yes Yes Secure (password) member areas Yes Yes $1,20026 Multiple level access for member categories ECOMMERCE Yes Yes Yes Online store option with custom forms Yes Yes Yes Can sell PDF documents Yes Yes No Shipping rate calculator Yes Yes Yes Sales tax calculation option Yes Yes Yes Credit card payment See note27 See note28 See note29 Credit card transaction cost No30 No Maybe31 Can use own credit card processor Developing32 No Yes E-check payment EVENT REGISTRATION Yes Yes Yes Conference/event registration Yes Yes Yes Pre-populated event registration

20 Requires that we use Bluepay for credit card processing. Also two reminders prior to membership expiration 21 Can send automatic reminders 22 No - however admin email alerts can contain change history 23 You can see a list of changes made by each staff member, and "created by" and "last updated" will show on the record 24 No, however can record check deposits in batches via the API 25 We have a "batch" entry screen for keying in multiple check transactions and attaching them to the right records 26 This would cost $1,200 to customize and add to NEON 27 None from YourMembership, but BluePay is the credit card processor and must pay their fee 28 Must use Payflow Pro or Authorize.net at their rates. No additional fee. 29 See Authorize.net 30 Yes, for manual processing, but only BluePay for real-time processing 31 If they are compatible with Authorize.net we can connect for $300 32 No, but this is currently in development

2

3

Yes Yes Yes Unlimited fields for event forms (e.g. meals) Sort of33 Yes Yes Fields can add to cost (e.g. multiple options for final price) Yes Yes Yes34 Variable fields for event levels (e.g. member discount) Yes Yes Yes Printer friendly receipts for registrants MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS Yes Yes Yes Email blasts to members Yes Yes Yes Newsletters, with standard formats ACCOUNTING Yes Yes Yes Accounts receivable and transaction records Yes35 QuickBooks Not yet36 Download to accounting package DONATIONS Yes Partially37 Yes Donation collection and reminders Monthly38 No Yes Automatic donation deductions (i.e. annual or monthly) FORUMS Yes Yes Yes Unlimited forum creation Yes Yes Yes39 Forums open to registered members Yes40 Yes As above Forums viewable to unregistered members FILE POSTING Yes Yes Yes File upload and posting 15MB No Fee41 File size limit SUBGROUPS Yes No42 Fee43 Can have interactive local chapter membership pages Yes Yes Sort of44 Can have infinite subgroups Yes Yes No Can assign administrator to subgroups Yes Yes No Subgroup admin can message group members MISCELLANEOUS Yes Yes45 Yes Can have fee based job posting site Yes Yes Yes Can have news sites with RSS feeds Yes Yes Yes Can do surveys and quizzes 33 Multiple ticket options are available, but not based on answers submitted within the form 34 Not only different ticket prices, but members can be granted automatic discounts 35 Export in csv now, and QuickBooks is coming soon 36 QuickBooks export due in Q4 37 Reminders are manual (generated by administrator) 38 No annual renewal process, per se 39 The forum can be made public, or hidden behind a login, or hidden behind a member login, but it would be the same set of forums where ever it is put 40 Read only 41 You can purchase different packages for overall storage size. Starts at $20 for 1GB 42 Can have local chapter member pages, but not interactive. 43 We would have to give a quote for creating web pages only accessible by members from certain areas, unless this fit into the customization for member pages only viewable by certain member types. There would be an additional fee to have a different web template for the areas. 44 You can group people in unlimited ways, but all staff logged in would be able to see them equally 45 If a paid, log-in service, then $850/yr

300 First Avenue South | Suite 300 | St. Petersburg, FL 33701

+1.727.827.0046 | Fax +1.727.827.3940 | www.YourMembership.com1

Administrative Control powerful membership management features

Member Management Create and manage member typesMember auto-approval via email validationCreate, edit and review member profilesExport member and non-member profilesCreate master-accounts with sub-accountsEnable member-type-specific pricingSet optional/required dues paymentSelect member access levels (blogs, photos, connections, etc.)Select group-type access levels and group administrationSet recurring dues payment for specific member typesManage required registration fields per member typeManage registration field visibility per member typeCreate custom profile fields per member typeAllow permanent affinity email addressesManage lost and non-member directorySearch directory by 50+ criteria, including custom fieldsCreate touch logs and reminders (CRM) on a per record basisAutomatically assign email touch logs to individualsAssign touch logs to individuals en masseSpotlight members within the community

Dues & Membership Levels Create multiple membership levelsEstablish free membershipsAllow introductory pricing optionSelect durations for your membership levelsAllow recurring auto-bill via credit cardCreate membership levels with set number of career postingsCreate membership levels with related sub-accountsCreate membership levels with different community accessExport membership and dues data

Content Management System Complete content management controlPublish content via WYSIWYG editor or plain text editorCreate custom CSS to be used on frontend of your websiteEmbed offsite content via RSS feed integrationUpload/manage access to files, images and documentsCreate site-wide collaborative wiki pagesCreate and manage custom menu design, layout and copyControl access to main/sub menusLink to offsite content from main menuCreate site-wide file libraries and resource collectionsSet public/member access security per pageEstablish social/professional networking access to members

Reporting & Statistics View registered members needing approvalProcess online donations submitted via websiteProcess store orders needing fulfillmentProcess membership dues (if applicable)Review and approve career/volunteer postingsReview and process event registrationsReview and process event ticketsReview “at-a-glance” member-related statisticsReview action items awaiting processingReview and approve group/community blogs and photos

Groups & Chapters Create individual group homepagesAssign group administratorsEstablish private groups with invitation requestsManage group-specific eventsCreate and manage group blogsCreate and manage custom content within groupsPost and manage group photo galleriesCreate collaborative wiki group pagesCreate group file libraries and resource collections

Event Management & Calendar Manage event information and categoriesCreate non-event calendar entriesSecure access to specific events to members onlyAllow online registrationManage event photos and galleriesAdd event tickets for sale online with member pricingCross-promote and sell other store items within eventsExport event registration listsMass email event registration listsSchedule automated event reminder emailsSyndicate via RSS/XML

Data Synchronization Import member and non-member profile dataReal-time export of member/non-member dataExport contact form informationExport event registration informationExport group and community blogsExport resumés/CVs and openingsExport membership dues data/transactionsExport donation data/transactionsExport store order data/transactionsImport data into offline databasesODBC-compliant format (ASCII and UNICODE)

Administrative Control Panel Alter system-wide settingsManage your site security and privacy settingsSet date and currency formats to your localeSet name display formatAllow real-time credit card processingControl auto-response emailsControl administrative email notificationsCreate custom profile and custom donation fieldsProvide required terms of useSet community email opt-out proceduresToggle specific features on and offManage menu, navigation, order and namingManage site meta tags

Administrative User Management Add/edit administrative accountsApply specific access rightsExpire accounts by date

News & Announcements Create rich blog-style news articlesManage news categoriesRestrict access to news itemsFeature specific news items throughout siteAssociate specific news items with select groupsAllow for commenting on a per article basisSyndicate via RSS/XML

Custom Form Creation Set public/private access and security per formCreate forms with fill-in the blank, radio buttons, etc.Add fields that auto fill data from member profilesLink to forms from custom pages with additional contentAllow file uploads within formsView form data submitted via administrative backendProcess form submissions and mark internal commentsEdit submitted form dataExport form data

ASSOCIATIONS EDUCATION NON-PROFIT CORPORATIONS GOVERNMENT

300 First Avenue South | Suite 300 | St. Petersburg, FL 33701

+1.727.827.0046 | Fax +1.727.827.3940 | www.YourMembership.com2

About YourMembership.comFounded in 1998, YourMembership.com is a leading global provider of online member communities and web-based membership management software for organizations of all types and sizes. Serving hundreds of customers around the globe, YourMembership.com’s straightforward, affordable price includes all product features, unlimited members, unlimited administrator seats, unlimited customer support, unlimited training, unlimited data storage, and more. Together, YourMembership.com’s social networking and membership software solutions create the complete online member community.

» Visit www.YourMembership.com for more information.

Document, File & Media Management Manage site-wide images and mediaCreate resource folders and manage contentUpload images, docs, MP3s, FLASH, videos, etc.Create rotating images and photo galleries

Newsletters, Bulk Email & Messaging Email and message by multi-criteria directory searchSelect from pre-defined newsletter templatesCreate/Save your own custom templatesManage email opt-out processSend rich text, HTML or plain text emailsView reports and tracking statsSchedule future mailingsInclude macros for personalized emailAttach files, documents and media

Survey, Voting & Quiz Management Create customized surveys, quizzes and voting balletsAllow for fill-in-the-blank, radio button, multiple choice, etc.Send private surveys to select membersLimit to one-time submissionView statistics, graphs and reportsExport all respondent data

Career & Volunteer Center Create and manage categoriesAccept submitted openingsLock members to a limited number of active career postsAllow online application to specific job postingsSearch resumés/CVs of membersApprove and monitor postingsExport resumés, CVs and openingsAllow for RSS feed of postings

Donation & Fundraising Center Manage donation and fundraising campaignsAdd/edit donation fundsCreate/manage custom donation fieldsCreate/manage recurring contribution/donation optionsSet minimum/maximum donation amounts on per fund basisSet pre-defined amounts on per fund basisProcess credit card and pledged donationsMass email members who have donated by multiple criteriaExport donation information

eCommerce & Online Store Management Create custom product categoriesEnable store promotion codes/coupon systemAdd/edit store product details, sizes, colors, typesCreate and sell downloadable productsEnable a “gift message” option for online purchasesSet tax/VAT levelSelect taxable itemsSet item shipping rates with multiple shipping optionsAutomated email confirmation and shipment notificationProcess store credit card purchasesAllow “Bill Me” option for non-credit card ordersExport store order informationSyndicate via RSS/XML

Blog & Forum Management Create multiple community blogs and forumsBrowse/search blogs and posts by tagsSearch blogs and posts by post contentView, edit and delete blog posts and commentsLock specific blogs to member-only accessLock specific blogs to read-only access

Staff & Administration Listing Add staff list and contact informationUpload photos/bios for staff profiles

Customer Service & Support Unlimited training and support with no additional feesView integrated online helpBrowse best practice documents and training guidesWatch online video tutorialsView, submit and manage support ticketsSubmit, view, vote on new product enhancementsRead site update log of all new features and enhancementsSchedule live person training sessions and site auditsRequest site design changes and updatesJoin YM’s unified community of site administrators!

YourMembership.com continually enhances its solution, andall current features and future upgrades are included withthe product’s low fixed fee.

Office Manager

You Can Do It!

Office ManagerTM saves you time and money by integrating content management and AMS in ONE easy-to–use package.

Internet4associations’ easy to use, web-based software is designed specifically for associations. Our integrated software solutions enable you to manage your website content, e-commerce transactions, membership, contacts, activities, meeting and event management, eMarketing, reporting, and much more. With over twenty years of experience partnered with associations, our Office Manager™ integrated software solution is continuously enhanced based upon our customers’ feedback; and with these critical goals in mind: save you money, help you generate new sources of revenue, and make you more efficient, while optimizing your valuable resources. Smart It’s easy to use: All you need is a web browser and an internet connection. No desktop software, no server software, no computers to buy Affordable Fully functional to meet the demands of your organization, for a price you can afford. As a hosted solution, changes in technology, software or operating systems are our responsibility, not yours. Solutions Our solutions are scalable. As your membership grows, our software can easily accommodate your changing requirements.

Simplify Your Association Management Smart. Affordable. Solutions.

Discover how other associations like you are utilizing internet4associations’ integrated Web solutions to leverage their resources, save time and money, and drive new sources of revenue.

Office Manager™ includes a fully integrated Web Content Management system, enabling organizations to manage the entire website with point and click ease. No programming or HTML knowledge required. With just a web browser and an internet connection you can create website content, dynamic forms, upload files and manage all aspects of your site. Office Manager™ also includes a comprehensive Association Management Software solution, completely integrated with your website. Members can apply, renew, register, order, and update their profiles online. It’s convenient for them, and saves you valuable time and resources. Features Included in Office Manager

TM:

• Web Content Management

• Searchable Membership Directory & Secure Members Only Areas

• E-commerce Enabled with Forms Builder

• Membership / Contact Management Database

• Activity Tracking

• Conference Management & Online Registration

• Online Membership Application & Renewal Processing

• Online Store & Order Processing

• Accounts Receivable & Transaction Accounting

• Reporting & Query Wizard

• Broadcast Email / e-Marketing

And much more.

NEON - Your Empowered All-In-One Solution

NEON has been empowered! This means we can offer you an all-in-one solution that puts all of

NEON's major modules and superior service options at your fingertips. NEON is even more

powerfully robust, intuitive, and responsive than ever before -yet it's easy to use, efficient and

still a great value.

The newly empowered NEON offers you all of this and more:

Fully web-based Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) tools

State-of-the-art HTTPS and firewall security ensure the safety of your data

Five concurrent staff users Included - more can be added

Custom integration with the exact look and feel of your website

Donations and donor management from the NEON control panel

Multiple customized donation web pages

Membership registration, web page and membership management

Event web page with event creation, registration and management capabilities

Customized auto reply emails and receipting

E-Marketing campaign creation and deployment with tracking

Online Forum

Online Store

Constituent/Member/Donor login area with self-management

Letter merge capabilities with tracking for mail campaigns

Online dynamic news/event pages with RSS feeds

Online survey and form builder

Solicitation management

Activity and grant tracking

In-depth reporting and data analysis

Easy export capabilities to Excel, CSV and PDF files

Daily off-site & on-site data backup

Much, much, more....

NEON now includes a wider array of tools and more web integration than any of our

competitors. We frequently hear from our customers that our support team is second to none.

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Security

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Concurrent Users

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Custom Integration

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Donation Management

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Customized Pages

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Membership Registration

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Events

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Auto Replies

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Forum

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Store

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Self Login

http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Mail Merge

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http://www.z2systems.com/opencms/opencms/z2systems/products_services/all_in_one.html#Form Builder

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Page 1 of 3

United States Lifesaving Association Executive Committee Committee Action Report

Date: May 1, 2010 Committee Chair: B. Chris Brewster Committee Members: B. Chris Brewster – President, Nikki Bowie – Secretary, Rob Williams – Treasurer, Tim Gallagher – Advisor, Charlie Hartl – Executive Delegate, Peter Davis – Liaison, Joe Pecoraro – Great Lakes Region, Tony Pryor – Gulf Coast Region, Ed Zebrowski – Mid-Atlantic Region, Bert Whitaker – Northwest Region, Ralph Goto – Pacific Islands Region, Tom Gill – South Atlantic Region, Gerry Falconer – Southeast Region, Mike Beuerlein – Southwest Region, Dr. Peter Wernicki – Medical Advisor Information Items (The following information was provided in writing and/or verbally) 1. Budget – Mr. Williams gave a brief overview of the budget. It was noted that the Combined Federal

Campaign generated donations in 2009 of $1,917.06. Donations received year to date 2010: $884.72. 2. American Lifeguard – Mr. Brewster provided a verbal update on this legal issue. 3. Lifeguard Trademark – Mr. Brewster provided a verbal update on this legal issue. 4. Sponsor Relations

4.1. Isaac Sports Group (ISG) – Mr. Zebrowski circulated a written report from Isaac Sports Group highlighting their marketing review for USLA (attachment 1). There are items in the report that require USLA to identify key contacts to assist Mr. Isaac. The following assignments were made: Develop USLA story presentation – photos needed from key events – Jo Wagenhals; list of past National sponsors and new ideas for the Nationals event program – Ed Zebrowski; Heroic Acts and National awards – Adrienne Groh; National Beach Safety Week – Denise Blair; Membership Kit – Charlotte Graham; Membership services – Membership Committee; New programs – Adrienne Groh and Chris Brewster; Lifesaving Hall of Fame – Chris Brewster.

4.2. Finis – This agreement allows those using the USLA discount code to receive 50% off all items, with the exception of certain electronics. USLA has received quarterly statements of sales and 7% of net product sales. Income from Finis since the contract started in October 2008 totals $1,017.44.

4.3. EyeKing Agreement – Our contract allows USLA members to purchase Hobie eyewear at a 50% discount. This discount is not limited to USLA members, but is aimed at lifeguards and includes the USLA logo. Under this agreement EyeKing pays the USLA $500 per quarter, commencing March 31, 2009 and 7% of net product sales generated via the lifeguard pro website. This agreement is scheduled to continue through December 31, 2010. Income from EyeKing since the contract started in March 2009 totals $2,500 (flat payment) plus $2,391.24 (7% of sales).

4.4. Ingram – Our contract with Ingram was finalized in January and will yield $5,000 per year for three years. This agreement is scheduled to continue through December 31, 2011. Income from Ingram since the contract started in January 2009 totals $5,000. (An invoice for 2010 has recently been submitted.)

4.5. Da Fin – The Da Fin contract remains in force and the USLA has been compensated in accordance with our agreement ($4,000 per year). This agreement is scheduled to continue through August 2011. Income from DaFin since the contract began in January 2008 totals $12,000.

4.6. Zubrella – The agreement remains in force. This includes income of $2,000 cash per year, plus $1,500 for three full page ads in ALM each year (total $3,500 per year). This contract is scheduled to continue through November 2011. Income from Zubrella since the contract started in November 2006 totals $8,000 plus $3,000 in required ALM advertising.

4.7. First Aid for Kids – There has been no news on this relationship from the sponsor. We garner income only in the case that the product is marketed and is successful.

Page 2 of 3

5. Royalties

5.1. Bank of America – Bank of America terminated our agreement in September, 2009. Received $1,516.40 in 2009.

5.2. Amazon.com – Amazon provides us with incentives when people click through from USLA.ORG (textbook) to Amazon and buy a USLA text or any other items. This is an ongoing relationship. We received $206.79 in 2009 and $48.34 year to date.

5.3. Pearson – We receive royalties for our textbook sales. We have received $335.81 for the six month period ending December 31, 2009. Total Received in 2009 was $1,280.15.

5.4. DVD Sales (via Uniserv) – We have received $3,072 in sales proceeds. The original cost to have the DVDs manufactured was $2,731.92.

5.5. USLA Store (via Uniserv) – We received $180.99 in income in 2009. 6. Nationals 2012 – Mr. Zebrowski noted that the Northwest (Lake Tahoe) has interest in hosting the

2012 event, as does the Southwest (LA County). Discussion Items (Not requiring Board of Directors approval) 1. Two sponsor possibilities, which were received directly by the USLA, were referred to ISG for further

research: Opa Cove and Whistles for Life. 2. Mr. Beuerlein raised a concern on behalf of the Southwest Region regarding the role of the Executive

Committee and specifically the appropriateness of meeting during the Board of Directors meetings

(attachment 3). Motion by Mr. Beuerlein to have the USLA Bylaw Committee review the role of the

USLA Executive Committee to determine if it is functioning in accordance with the existing USLA

Bylaws. MPU.

3. Mr. Brewster suggested a policy change to require that venues may not bid to host a National

Lifeguard Championship without first tentatively agreeing to a standard host agreement or stating any

variations they propose, and further requiring that once a bid is approved, that the host agreement

must be signed within 60 days. It was agreed to refer this to the Bylaws committee to develop

proposed amendments to Policies and Procedures VII – D.

4. Mr. Brewster presented draft Bylaw amendments to the Executive Committee which had been reviewed by a representative of the United States Olympic Committee and which, if enacted, are expected to allow the USLA to be recognized as the national governing body for lifesaving sport by the USOC (attachment 2). It was agreed that the proposals should be formally published to the Executive Committee and noticed under New Business by the Secretary. They will be scrutinized by the Bylaws Committee. They will be available for action by the Board of Directors at the November 2010 meeting.

5. The availability of meeting reports to those without access to the Board of Director’s Library was discussed. Nikki Bowie will take suggestions and report at the Fall meeting.

Action Items (Requiring Board of Directors approval) 1. A draft Host Agreement for conduct of the 2010 National Lifeguard Championships was circulated to

the Executive Committee and discussed. Mr. Pryor moved to recommend that the Executive Committee recommend to the Board of Directors that it accept the Host agreement as published to the Executive Committee for the August 2010 National Lifeguard Championships? Mr. Williams seconded. MPU.

2. A draft Host Agreement for conduct of the 2011 National Lifeguard Championships was circulated to the Executive Committee and discussed. (Note: Due to a potential conflict of interest, Mr. Zebrowski exited the room and did not participate in the discussion.) Mr. Pryor moved to recommend that the Board of Directors accept the proposed host agreement for August 2011 National Lifeguard Championships in Cape May, NJ. Mr. Falconer seconded the motion. MPU.

Attachments

1. USLA Marketing Agreement

Page 3 of 3

2. Athlete Amendments 3. Southwest Region Executive Committee Points

Page 1 of 16


MARKETING REVIEW April 26, 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction Page 2

Goals Page 3

USLA National Sponsorships Page 3

National Championships Page 5

USA Lifesaving National Team Page 8

American Lifeguard Magazine Page 8

USLA Website Page 9

Heroic Acts and Awards Page 11

National Beach Safety Week Page 11

Membership Kit Page 11

Membership Services Page 12

New Programs Page 12

Communication between USLA and ISG Page 14

Action Plan Timeline Page 15

ATTACHMENT 1

Page 2 of 16


MARKETING REVIEW April 26, 2010

INTRODUCTION

Marketing the USLA is much more than just raising money by finding sponsors for the National

Championship. To quote Chris Brewster in a recent email, “We are always looking for revenue

possibilities that can fund our ongoing work, but we try to ensure that those revenue

opportunities match with our mission.” Nationals, the National Team and regional competition

however, still remain some of the highest visibility programs of the USLA. The higher the

profile of the USLA Nationals the greater the opportunity to leverage the Nationals to promote

and support important education, training and service programs of the USLA.

A marketing strategy for USLA must provide a platform to achieve this goal. There are five key

elements that need to be addressed.

1. Better link the USLA “competitive” properties with the “service properties”

2. Generate increased public exposure of key USLA programs, both within and outside the

Lifeguard community

3. Integrate the support, sponsorship and advertising opportunities of the many USLA

properties and programs, bundling sponsor benefits to support a wider range of programs

and increase value for sponsors, advertisers, licensees and donors

4. Better coordinate all the volunteers involved with organizing and finding support for

USLA programs within the overall marketing strategy

5. Better determine needs and priorities of the membership to better service members and

drive increased members. Creating more value for members helps create more value for

sponsors and partners.

This report analyzes existing marketing programs and provides a blueprint to address these

elements and provide an action plan and timeline of next steps. Focus will be on both creating a

strong platform for future revenue growth as well as immediate action needed to generate more

support for 2010 Nationals, the 2010 National Team competing at World Championships and the

USLA this calendar year. The report will review each of the main USLA programs, address

potential marketing opportunities for each program and explore ways to integrate these

opportunities and identify next steps. The main programs include:

USLA Nationals

USLA National Team


Regional Competition

Website

American Lifeguard Magazine (ALM)

Heroic Acts

National Beach Week

Educational Materials

Annual Meetings

ATTACHMENT 1

Page 3 of 16

New Programs and Properties

Membership Benefits

GOALS

The overall goals of the marketing strategy as presented in the fall of 2009 are the following:

Generate increased revenue, royalties, fundraising and cost relieving sponsorships by at

least $125,000

Expand overall sponsorship and membership benefits of USLA

Establish fund-raising/development program for USLA

Expand advertising value to USLA advertisers and partners and expand program to

increase revenue

Offer direction to improve and integrate USLA communication platforms

o Website

o E-newsletter

o Magazine

o Regional and agency communication tools

Increase member and service benefits to all categories of membership

Generate significant increase in media coverage of 2010 USLA Nationals

Build long-range plan and revenue model to place USLA Nationals on television

beginning in 2011

Create increased public awareness of USLA Mission, Educational and Lifesaving

programs

o Annual Beach Safety Week

o Heroic Acts awards

o Junior Lifeguard Programs

o Greater circulation of USLA Public Service Announcements

o Usage of Activity Book

o Educational information and programs

o School programs

These goals have both short term and long term elements. Short term elements are important to

generate initial increase in revenue flow in calendar 2010 in order to achieve the longer term

goals to create an effective and stable platform for continuing future growth and success of the

USLA.

USLA NATIONAL SPONSORSHIP and ROYALTY PROGRAMS

USLA currently has several national sponsors, licensees and affiliate partner programs. The

benefits for each sponsor are diverse, but seem well crafted to meet the sponsor’s needs but are

often narrowly focused on only one or two of USLA properties. It is important to enhance the

value (and therefore potential revenue) of these packages by bundling properties, combining

website exposure, magazine advertising and links to services with traditional sponsor designation

and recognition.

It is also important to develop a good USLA/USLA Nationals info presentation packet, the

USLA Story. In addition to information about USLA programs and events, it would include an

overview of membership, photos from Nationals and Jr. Programs and even have a link to video.

ATTACHMENT 1

Page 4 of 16

This packet, digital and hard copies, would include sponsorship opportunities as well as serve as

an introduction to the USLA and its programs for potential sponsors, donors and grant

organizations.

Developing the USLA Story Presentation

ISG to create this presentation

ISG will need photos and video clips from key events and programs (could be shot at

2010 Nationals)

Presentation completed in time for fall sponsor solicitation

NOTE: ACTION NEEDED BY ULSA

Designate USLA volunteer to pull these photos and images together for ISG

Identifying and Pitching potential sponsors

Target list of potential new sponsors and initial approaches to be made in May

Will review past sponsors and sponsors of like minded safety organizations

Identify and re-approach past sponsors from last four nationals that need to be

approached for more national programs

Solicit sponsor connections/contacts from USLA volunteers

Expand membership benefit discount and affinity programs across a wider range of

products and more mainstream companies

Key sponsor categories

o Apparel

o Swimwear

o Sunscreen

o Beach footwear

o Hotel

o Energy Drink/Water

o Automobile

o Energy Bar/Nutrition

o Lifeguard/Lifesaving specific products

o Youth related safety products

o Water Safety products

Create specific target sponsors for the different USLA categories mentioned in this report


Ed Z. to help put together a list of past national sponsors

Reviewing all current sponsors and licensees and initiating renewal and upgrade process where

appropriate

ISG to contact all current sponsors, licensees and affinity partners to review current

programs and discuss satisfaction with program and additional opportunities-June and

July following late June meeting between ISG and Ed Z.

August-Begin extension or renegotiation programs-include current USLA officer who

helped do original deal in any conversation if appropriate

Strengthen minimum royalties and usage tracking in royalty and affinity programs

ATTACHMENT 1

Page 5 of 16

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Historically the USLA Nationals has been the marketing property that has generated the most

support. Marketing and sponsorship of Nationals has been very inconsistent, relying on a

combination of the efforts of the local host and a couple key USLA National officers to generate

sponsorship. There is a combination of both local and national sponsors, which is good, but poor

renewal from year to year and limited engagement of the sponsors into other key USLA

programs. There has also been limited involvement of ALM advertisers and USLA Licensees

with the Nationals. While it is important to always be looking to involve new sponsors, it is just

as important to increase the involvement of existing national sponsors, advertisers and licensees

in the nationals.

There is also ongoing discussion within the Competition Committee on potential re-organization

of the USLA Nationals. Suggestions and ideas on Nationals reorganization are attached in a

separate document. It is also important to address the nationals bid process and update the

current national event contract to insure consistent championship, equitable distribution of

revenue and coordinated marketing efforts.

Below are key elements of marketing Nationals:

Public Relations

One of the top priorities for building greater value in Nationals is to increase exposure

through the media. ISG brings the PR agency BZA on board to generate increased local

and national exposure for this year’s nationals. PR has the following goals:

Create local market media in advance of the event

Identify key competitors, defending champions and any unique stories to create

story lines prior to event and during event

Generate local and national coverage of the event

o On site TV and Radio

o Promotion in local media

o Actual coverage of the event

Create media story on Junior Lifeguard Programs in Southern California

Use this opportunity to publicize and honor key USLA award winners, including

Heroic Acts, Medal of Valor winners and Lifetime members from this year

PR timeline

May 2010 ISG and BZA working with designated volunteers

o Work with USLA competition committee, national team manager and

regional volunteers to identify and create short bios on key competitors

o Create short history of the Nationals (already available I believe)

o Generate pr plan specifics to review with Local Host

Week of June 1-2 ISG and BZA to meet with Local Host in Southern

California (Date Tentative pending availability of local host)

o Coordinate PR efforts with Host

o Determine on site press and media needs for event

o Set schedule for advance publicity


ATTACHMENT 1

Page 6 of 16

Provide key USLA individuals for ISG/BZA to work with on identifying key

competitors, important stories and other necessary Nationals content

National Junior Lifeguard Championships

The National Junior Champs is a great opportunity to generate increased sponsor support

linked to the Junior Lifeguard Program. This demographic is valuable to sponsors and

can attract some program specific sponsorships. This event can gain even greater impact

if it is expanded to a two-day format in future years.

Bundle Junior Champs specific sponsorship with Junior Guard feature section in

ALM and the Championship Program as well as on the USLA website and

Championship website

Example of potential sponsors

o UnionBay (clothing manufacturer targeting teens in mid tier channels-e.g.

Kohl’s, Penny’s)-already signed on as a presenting sponsor of 2011

Nationals-the company describes itself as “helping define teen fashion for

over 25 years”

o Mountain Dew

Event Program

The actual event program printed by the local Host is also an inconsistently leveraged

marketing vehicle. Ad revenue varies widely from Host to Host, from significant to

minimal with only a sponsor page and one full page ad from a national sponsor. There is

also virtually no differentiation between major sponsors (Ford in 2009) and small local

product suppliers. The Event program can be much better leveraged and utilized.

Existing Format

Combine ad space in event program with ALM advertising programs-giving

current advertisers an additional vehicle and increasing overall ad revenue

Incorporate event program ads into sponsorship and licensing programs to better

link national sponsors and licensees to nationals

Bundle event program ads with logo recognition and hotlinks on national website

and USLA Website

Content

Include summary content in Program covering key USLA Honors and Programs-

use this vehicle to promote USLA service programs

o Heroic Acts

o Life members

o Educational Programs

o National Beach Week

Provides visible platform to recognize any future potential sponsors or donors to

these Service Programs

Suggestions on Potential New Program Format

One possible way to make the Event Program even a more valuable and effective

property and achieve our goal of integrating marketing platforms is to have USLA

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take over the publication of the program and integrate it into the ALM. The Event

program would in effect be a fourth annual edition of the ALM. Not only would the

special issue be used on site and in the local market at nationals, but it would be

mailed to all members as part of their current subscriptions. This new format would

achieve the following goals:

Provide an enhance vehicle for existing advertisers, linking them to the

nationals

Provide a vehicle to give added value to Nationals sponsors to reach the entire

membership, not just those participating and attending nationals

Bring the competitive segment of USLA to all the memberships

Provide platform to better publicize all USLA programs at Nationals

Create an enhanced revenue opportunity for current ALM advertisers, USLA

National sponsors and National Championship sponsors

A number of pages of this special issue would be set aside for the local

Nationals Host for local content and local advertisers to maintain their tool for

generating local revenue

Next Steps and Timeline

Review Services/awards content for Event Program idea with Heroic Acts

and Education committees at USLA Meeting

Review new format idea with Magazine, Competition and Public Information

committees

ISG to meet with Local Host and Mike Bartlett week of June 1 to review

advertising opportunities and linking ALM advertisers with event program

Following meeting, identify target advertisers and solicit ads through local

Host, Mike Bartlett and ISG


Provide key USLA individuals for ISG to work with on exploring new format ideas

for Event Program

Link to Regional Championships

It is also important to explore some programmatic ways to provide some sponsor

link to regional championships to increase reach of National Championship

sponsors and USLA sponsors and deliver some enhanced support for the regional

championships, competitions and teams.

Explore regional opportunities with Ed Z and regional Presidents

Identify any existing regional sponsors

Link to regional sections on website and ALM

Nationals Sponsor Categories, Potential and Process

There are some specific sponsor categories and targets to approach immediately (some

contacts have already been made)

Auto-Ford is unlikely to provide support this year

o Toyota

Headquartered in Southern California

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Desperately in need of enhancing safety image

Initial contact made by ISG

o Subaru

Currently California regional sponsor-any possibility to expand

relationship-need to work through California Region

Apparel

o Separate apparel (officials, National Team) and Swimwear

o More likely to find potential sponsors with split category

o Can we find sponsor that will contribute money and product and sign

multiple year agreement?

Both ISG and Local Host have potential product only sponsor for

Officials-still have about a month to find sponsor willing to do

more-Will coordinate with Local Host when event contract is

signed

Review Host Event budget with Local Host and support Local Host to find

specific budget relieving product sponsors (Week of June 1)

o Are any of these potential national sponsors?

Review all current National Sponsors and Licensees to create a Nationals

sponsorship enhancement to link them to nationals

o ISG to work directly with USLA officials who negotiated each of the

existing National sponsorship and licensing agreements to develop these

enhancements based on the nature of the sponsor

o NOTE: ACTION NEEDED BY USLA-identify key USLA for each

sponsor if different than Ed Zebrowski

USA NATIONAL TEAM

The USA National Lifesaving Team which competes internationally is an important part

of the USLA’s role in the International Life Saving Federation and the international

lifesaving community in general. It is also a very important pinnacle of Lifesaving

competition in the US for the competitors. The National team presents sponsor

opportunities that may stand alone, but certainly have the potential to be linked to

sponsorship of the National Championships. Efforts to include benefits and funding for

the National Team will be presented in conjunction with sponsorship proposals for

overall USLA and National Championships sponsorships. These efforts will be

coordinated also with the National Team Manager, Jay Butki.

AMERICAN LIFEGUARD MAGAZINE

The ALM is one of the single biggest USLA member benefits and a critical

communication tool for the USLA. It also represents one budget item that does generate

revenue for USLA, although it does not completely pay for itself. Mike Bartlett does a

great job in managing the magazine and bringing in advertisers. In conversations with

Mike it is clear that there is some upside revenue and content opportunities with the

magazine. In this day of e-newsletters and web based media many non-profits are

moving toward digital only magazine formats to achieve the same goals but significantly

reduce costs. The hard copy ALM still serves an important purpose within USLA and

has significant pass-a-round exposure and recognized benefits to advertisers. While we

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do need to continually look at ways to better integrate ALM into new web-based

communication services we also need to determine ways to bring in new advertisers,

increase value to existing advertisers and increase overall revenue. Keys to this include:

ISG to work with Mike B on current and potential advertisers to identify

increased revenue potential (week of June 1)

ISG to work with Ed Z to incorporate magazine advertising into programs for

existing sponsors, licensees and affiliate partners

Establish regional columns in ALM issues to attract regional and local sponsors,

perhaps linked to regional championships and competition and teams

Create Junior Lifeguard feature section in magazine

Identify potential sponsors for specific regular features or columns in the

magazine

Identify membership priorities for magazine-what are members looking for?

Explore possibility of making the National Championship event program a special

ALM issue

Determine how to best support Mike B and the Magazine Committee and

volunteers in any expanded ALM content or advertising programs

USLA WEBSITE

Updating and upgrading the USLA website will be one of the top priorities of any new USLA

marketing and communication initiatives. This initiative has already been launched by Chris

Brewster and progress is being made on designing a new website. Following are ISG suggestions

on website updates and the upgrades in the website platform and server that are needed to

support new marketing and digital initiatives. These suggestions were submitted to Chris B in

October are meant to assist USLA in budgeting for website design and upgrade.

WEBSITE GOALS

Increase member benefits and services

Improve communication to membership

Drive more traffic to website and promote frequent repeat traffic

Provide greater interactive communication with membership

Improve and update look of the website

Increase exposure and benefits to current and potential sponsors

Create e-newsletter

Explore electronic magazine format

Create more relevant content for all categories of members

UPDATING THE WEBSITE

The Look

o The current website has a very copy/text intensive home page with a very

outdated look. A cleaner design with flash capabilities and more visual appeal is

an important first step.

o We can help with actual graphic design or work with any of your volunteer team

or current design support on a new look

Communication Tools

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o Expand and simplify e-newsletter and virtual magazine capabilities to create tool

for regular communication to members

o Broaden capabilities of community network capabilities of website

Link to face book and other social networking sites

Establish USLA face book, linked in and other community communication

sites

Update current bulletin board capabilities

o Create capabilities for on-line training and education programs

Competition officials

Junior Guard education programs

Other relevant educational programs

Content

o Improve and simplify ease of posting articles, photos and content

o Create relevant content for Junior Guards

o Create relevant content for Regions, with input from each region

o Make content timely and current, stimulating frequent visiting of the site to stay

current

o Enable multiple editor access (such as regional editors, junior editor, etc.)

o Create option for on-line magazine to complement and expand on current hard

copy magazine

o Create on-line magazine or newsletter specifically for Junior Guards

o Create on-line Board Room or governance section with committee pages to

facilitate volunteer and executive communication and management to help govern

and manage USLA more effectively through the volunteer network

o Create vehicle to honor guards and publicize USLA awards, competition and

heroic acts

Interactive Communication

o Create platform for member polls and surveys and analysis of results

o Create member benefits and information only accessible in member only pages on

site

o Expand options for direct communications and questions to USLA through

website

Site Management

o Upgrade capabilities to analyze web traffic and most popular pages and features

o Create database management system to keep database of member emails, visitors

and key parties

o Create tracking and digital services for expanded sponsor and advertiser benefits

WEBSITE PLATFORM AND TECHNICAL FEATURES AND FUNCTIONALITY

Analyze capabilities and costs of current server and explore necessary options

Add content management system to website

o Access for editors and contributors

o E-newsletter and magazine capabilities

o Survey/Polling capabilities

Upgrade database management capabilities

Add Back Office administrative functions

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Upgrade video capabilities

Upgrade flash capabilities

Make platform and server software compatible for easy hand held device access

HEROIC ACTS and LIFETIME MEMBER AWARDS

The Heroic Acts program and Medal of Valor are fantastic awards honoring incredible

achievements, selfless bravery and lifetime achievement. These awards and honors are very

meaningful to the recipient and valued greatly within USLA long time members but have very

little recognition to the general public or even the grass roots lifeguard USLA member. One

priority in the marketing blueprint is to greatly enhance the exposure and media coverage of

these awards and do a better job of linking these to other USLA programs. Here are suggestions:

ISG will incorporate public relations support for these programs into its existing services

of BZA

Review options for public presentations and recognition of these awards with the

appropriate committees

o Explore coordinating announcements and presentations with USLA Nationals

o Determine any other suitable site or event for presentation (perhaps identifying

like minded service organizations and piggy back on an existing program)

o Develop sponsor/underwriting program for these awards (limited cost in awards

itself, but a great potential vehicle as part of the community/civic portion of a

corporate sponsorship or partnership)


Who are contacts for ISG to discuss potential marketing programs linked to these

award programs?

NATIONAL BEACH SAFETY WEEK

National Beach Safety Week is a great program that is driven locally and is probably

underutilized. Is it possible to make this more of a national program?

Develop pr program for NBSW

Work with appropriate committee to review current activation and utilization of

the program and explore potential sponsor/partner programs


Who are contacts for ISG to work with on NBSW?

MEMBERSHIP KIT

The Membership Kit is a long time benefit of membership that costs the USLA quite a bit of

money each year. Perceived value of the membership kit and alternative methods to deliver

member benefits need to be explored. The membership kit also provides a very direct way to

reach members with products and key messages. This value packed direct communication

vehicle is very important to many sponsors and companies trying to pitch their products directly

to the lifeguard. Membership Kit partnerships need to added to the list of sponsor/advertiser

opportunities to reduce the large annual expense of the Membership Kit. Survey information on

the Kit will also help fine tune and focus this service and make it more valuable and hopefully

less costly.

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Next Steps:

Review membership kit options-summer of 2010

Present membership kit options at November Board Meetings


Identify USLA Committee liaison for ISG

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES

An important part of any overall marketing strategy must involve membership growth. USLA

membership is relatively stable in terms of total numbers, with a relatively moderate turnover

rate each year. The small amount of royalty money generated by affinity programs and sales

discount programs offered through the website as membership benefits shows that members do

not use these programs in any great amounts. Is this because they don’t know about these or

they are not significant enough or just not relevant to members?

It is very important to better understand what our overall membership is looking for, especially

the young lifeguards and the Junior Lifeguard members. ISG will conduct a survey of

membership this summer culminating in a membership benefit analysis to be presented at the

November 2010 Board Meeting. Key points to address are:

Determine the perceived value of current benefits

o Membership Kit

o Product discounts

o ALM

o Education info on the web

o Community bulletin board and on-line social networking

o Access to Lifeguard competition

Identify additional benefits members would like to see

Identify member benefits important to specific groups

o Junior Lifeguards

o Retired and “alumni” lifeguards

o Active competitors

Timeline

June 1-Present detailed prospectus on survey

July 1-August 31 Conduct Survey (includes surveys at Nationals)

September-October Compile and Analyze survey information


Name a USLA volunteer in each region for ISG to work with to get key contact

people and help identify key chapters to survey

NEW PROGRAMS

The USLA has the opportunity over the next year or two to create some additional properties

linked to current programs or USLA history that can not only better promote the mission of the

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organization but generate increased exposure for the organization and its mission and create new

revenue streams.

USLA Awards Dinner or Event

The USLA has significant award programs, including Heroic Acts, Medal of Valor and

Lifetime membership as well as important competitive awards and other long term

achievement awards. There are also significant regionally administered awards. There is

currently no truly national or public forum established to present or effectively publicize

these awards. If Nationals moves to a four day format, this may create the space to host

some awards type event during nationals to honor USLA award recipients and create

another way to link USLA service and competitive programs. It would also provide a

strong platform to link sponsors to service programs and provide additional sponsor and

donor opportunities. There may also be another time and place for such an event that

would also be suitable (see additional notes in Heroic Acts/Awards section of this report).

Next Steps:

Review potential event program opportunities with key USLA committee staff

and officers

Present initial ideas as talking points to officers at Nationals

Present formal ideas for event program at November Board Meeting


USLA to determine key committee members to work with ISG on exploring this

idea

US Lifesaving Hall of Fame (hosted by the USLA)

I believe that this year is the 30th

anniversary of USLA Nationals and the 46th

year of

overall national Lifeguard competition dating back to NSLSA in 1965. During that time

there have been many truly outstanding athletes competing and dominating the sport.

More importantly, there is a century of history of Lifesaving in the US. A Lifesaving

Hall of Fame can honor great accomplishments, great lifeguards and great contributors to

water safety. The Hall of Fame does not need an actual location at first, just a virtual

Hall of Fame website to accomplish much of its mission. This Hall of Fame can help

honor Lifesaving over history as well as provide an additional platform for promoting the

USLA mission and creating revenue streams.

Next Steps:

Review potential Hall of Fame opportunities with key USLA committee staff and

officers

Present initial ideas as talking points to officers at Nationals

Present formal ideas for event program at November Board Meeting


USLA to determine key committee members to work with ISG on exploring this

idea

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COMMUNICATION BETWEEN USLA AND ISG

Part of the successful execution of the marketing program will be increased communication

between ISG and a wider group of USLA officers and committee members as well as regular

Executive Committee updates.

As marketing and media programs are linked to each program, I would like to have a designated

USLA contact who is closely involved with each specific area as well as continuing regular

communication with the Executive Committee. Specifically, I would like a key USLA liaison in

each of the following areas (I have filled in the ones I already have contact with):

Overall USLA Marketing Chris Brewster and Ed Zebrowski

Nationals and Competition Ed Zebrowski

ALM Mike Bartlett

Public Relations/Information services

Website

Heroic Acts and other awards


Membership Services

Membership Kit

National Beach Safety Week

USLA Nationals (current and future years) Mike Lumb-2010

Ed Zebrowski-2011

USA National Lifesaving Team Jay Butki

Monthly Updates to President and Marketing coordinator (Ed Zebrowski)

Can include entire Executive Committee if requested

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ACTION TIMELINE-2010

May

Follow up from Board Meeting

ISG communication with designated USLA liaisons in each area

Develop agenda for June California meetings

Finalize sponsorship proposals for National Championship presentations

Pitch National Championship and National Team sponsorship packages-through July

Create National Championship and other USLA Story lines with PR agency

June

May 31-June 3-LA Meetings

o Mike Bartlett-ALM

o National Championship Host

o PR meeting with ALM and National championship host

o Rob Williams-Finance

o Chris Brewster

Develop Membership Survey

June 27-28 ISG Meeting with Ed Zebrowski

o National Championship organization, bid process and contract

o Sponsor Review

July

Contact all current sponsors, licensees and affinity partners

Begin discussions on potential new programs

o Awards Event

o Hall of Fame

Conduct Membership Survey (through August)

August

National Championships

Key meetings with ISG USLA liaisons

Initial conversations on new programs and existing program review

Finalize sponsorship presentations and packages for 2011 programs

September

Post Nationals event and media analysis

Launch 2011 sponsorship solicitation-ongoing all fall through end of year

Renewals and extensions of current sponsors

Compile and analyze member survey

Finalize USLA Story presentation packet

October

Develop media and pr plan for 2011

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Update Marketing strategy for 2011

Ongoing sponsorship solicitation

November

Fall Board of Directors Meeting


December


ATTACHMENT 1



Section 4 – Officers of the United States Lifesaving Association

A. USLA Executive Board

The Executive Board of the USLA Board of Directors shall be comprised of the USLA President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Executive DelegateAthlete Representative, Past President/Advisor, and Liaison Officer.

B. Executive Committee

(1) Membership

In order to provide for important and necessary regional representation on all matters that pertain to the business, actions and practices of the Association, an Executive Committee shall be established. The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the USLA Executive Board as defined under Section 4 (A) of this article, and the USLA Regional Presidents or their appointed designees, and three Athlete Representatives.

.

(2) Authority of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall have the authority to act on behalf of the USLA Board of Directors between Board of Director’s meetings.

This authority shall exclude the power:

a) To adopt or amend the USLA or Regional Bylaws; or,

b) To modify or expunge specific actions of the Board of Directors; or,

c) To undertake any other action that has been denied the Executive Committee by the Board of Directors.

The Executive Committee shall secure Errors and Omissions/Fiduciary Liability coverage for the USLA Treasurer and any other USLA officer as deemed necessary and appropriate. (Amended November 7, 2009)

(3) Voting Privileges

Each member of the Executive Committee shall be entitled to one vote and have equal voting privileges on issues before the Committee.

(4) Executive Session

When in the best interests of the USLA any member of the Executive Committee or their designated representative, with agreement by the majority of the Executive Committee, may hold discussions in executive session on matters of immediate interest and importance. Executive session discussions shall be reported to the Board of Directors as soon as possible or as soon as such reporting can be accomplished without negatively impacting the best interests of the USLA. Only members of the Executive Committee or their designated representatives may attend executive session.

Formatted: Heading 5, Indent: Left: 0", Tabstops: Not at 1"


ATTACHMENT 2



C. Election of Officers

(1) The USLA President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer and Executive Delegate shall be elected by a ballot of the USLA Board of Directors every second year in odd numbered years.

(2) Election shall be by secret ballot of each individual director and a simple majority vote will elect. All votes by proxy must meet the requirements of Article IX, Section 4.

(3) The Past President/Advisor position shall be filled by the immediate predecessor to the current President if the immediate Past President elects to serve. If the immediate Past President is unable or unwilling to serve, an Advisor shall be appointed by the President elect and confirmed by a simple majority vote of the USLA Board of Directors.

(4) The Liaison Officer shall be appointed by the President elect and confirmed by the Board of Directors. A majority vote is required to confirm the appointment.

D. Election of Athletes Representatives

(1) A total of four Athlete Representatives shall be elected in the same years as the Election of Officers.

(2) Election shall be by email ballot of qualified electors who have provided valid email addresses to the USLA and demonstrated their qualifications.

(3) Nominations for Athlete Representatives shall be open from August 15 in odd numbered years, through September 15, and elections of qualified nominees shall be open from October 1 until October 20. Any USLA member with voting privileges may nominate a qualified person to be an Athlete Representative, including, if qualified, themselves.

(4) To qualify to as an elector or as an Athlete Representative, a person must:

a) have participated as a member of the National Team representing the United States at the World Championships within the 10 years preceding the election; or,

b) represented the United States on an international team selected and sanctioned by the United States Lifesaving Association in a multi-national lifesaving competition; or,

c) have participated in no less than three National Lifesaving Championships sanctioned by the United States Lifesaving Association; and,

d) must be a current member of the United States Lifesaving Association with voting privileges.

(5) The qualified nominees with the highest numbers of votes shall be elected, with the following exceptions:

a) There shall be no more than one Athlete Representative from any USLA Region, so only the qualified nominee with the highest number of votes from any single USLA Region shall be elected.

b) There shall be no fewer than one male and one female among those elected, so if the highest number of votes received, after regional diversity is achieved as specified in the foregoing clause, are for members entirely of one gender, then the fourth Athlete Representative shall be the person of the opposite gender who received the highest number of votes among qualified nominees of that gender and who is from a Region that is not represented by the first three elected.

D.E. Appointment of the Legal Advisor, and Medical Advisor

The Legal Advisor and Medical Advisor shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Board of Directors. A majority vote is required to confirm the appointment.






ATTACHMENT 2



E.F. Terms

(1) The term of office for the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Executive Delegate, and Liaison Officer, and Athlete Representatives shall be for two years with no limit on the number of terms.

(2) The term of office for the Past President/Advisor shall be two years. If the President is reelected for successive terms the President elect may choose to retain the Past President/Advisor or appoint a director to fulfill the Past President/Advisor’s responsibilities. Said appointment must be confirmed by a simple majority of the Board of Directors.

(3) The term of service for the Legal Advisor and Medical Advisor shall correspond with the term of office of the President with continuing approval of the Board of Directors.

(4) A vacancy in office of an officer or appointee, excepting an Athlete Representative, shall be filled by the Executive Committee until the next meeting of the Board of Directors at which time an election will be held for the balance of the term. If an Athlete Representative is unable, unwilling, or unqualified to serve, then the next qualified person who would have been elected at the most recent election of Athlete Representatives will be offered the position, retaining the proscription on more than one representative per Region and requirement of no less than one representative of each gender, until a qualified person accepts the position.

F.G. Quorum

A majority of the Executive Committee members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

G.H. Duties of the Officers

(1) President – The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association and shall:

a) Preside at all meetings of the Members, Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

b) Have general charge of the business of the Association and execute, with the Secretary, in the name of the USLA, all deeds, bonds, contracts and other obligations and instruments authorized by the Board of Directors.

c) Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, appoint such standing or special committees and subcommittees as outlined in Article XI, Sections 2 and 3.

d) Prepare the official annual report to the Board of Directors on the activities and affairs of the USLA.

e) Prepare a written report on the state of the Association including all duties and activities of the President for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

f) Be the Second Delegate to the International Lifesaving Federation (ILS) unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.

g) Have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

(2) Vice President

a) The Vice President shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform all the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President.

b) The Vice President shall also have such other powers and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

c) Prepare a written report including all duties and activities of the Vice President for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

(3) Secretary

a) The Secretary shall keep a full and complete record of the proceedings of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and meetings of the Members; shall keep the seal of the Association (corporation) and affix same to such papers and instruments as may be required in the regular course of business; shall make and serve notices as may be




ATTACHMENT 2



necessary; shall retain a membership roll; shall distribute the minutes of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and meetings of Members within thirty (30) days; shall maintain an updated copy of the Bylaws and Policies and Procedures; shall determine a quorum and the number of votes needed to pass on any item; shall verify Directors in good standing and perform all other duties incidental to the office of the Secretary.

b) In the case of absence or disability of the Secretary, or refusal or neglect to act, notices may be given and served by the President or the Vice President, or by any other person authorized by the President, Vice President or Board of Directors.

c) The Secretary shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

(4) Treasurer

a) The Treasurer shall receive and safely keep all funds of the Association and deposit same in such bank or banks as may be authorized by the Board of Directors. USLA funds shall be disbursed only in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws and the rules established by the Board of Directors on checks of the Association, signed as directed by the Board of Directors.

b) The Treasurer shall control the keeping of the books and accounts of the Association and shall be responsible for the preparation of complete financial statements of the USLA. The financial statements shall consist of a balance sheet, income statement and other financial statements as may be required of this Association and shall be prepared annually or as otherwise directed by the Board of Directors. A record and accurate account of all receipts and disbursements shall be compiled by the Treasurer. All financial records shall be maintained on a calendar year January 1 to December 31. (Amended April 24, 2008)

c) The Treasurer shall prepare a written financial status report for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

d) The Treasurer shall cause the receipts and disbursements of the Association to be audited annually by a recognized firm of Certified Public Accountants authorized by the Executive Committee. A full written financial report shall be made annually at the spring meeting of the Board of Directors.

(5) Executive DelegateAthlete Representative

a) The Athlete Representative shall represent the interests of lifesaving athletes, as well as the general viability and vitality of the United States Lifesaving Association as a wholeExecutive Delegate shall investigate and attempt to resolve those issues that arise during the daily operations of the USLA.

b) The executive Delegate Athlete Representative shall prepare a written report including all duties and activities for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

(6) Past President/Advisor

a) The Past President/Advisor shall advise and assist the President in the administration of the Association.

b) The Past President/Advisor shall coordinate the activities of all committees as may be determined by the President.

c) The Past President/Advisor shall prepare a written report including all duties and activities for each meeting of the Board of Directors.

(7) Liaison Officer

a) The Liaison Officer shall maintain liaison and interface with all national and international organizations and shall be responsible for maintaining open lines of communication between the USLA and other national and international organizations.

b) The Liaison Officer shall coordinate all exchanges between agencies.

c) The Liaison Officer shall be the First Delegate to the International Lifesaving Federation unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.

Field Code Changed

ATTACHMENT 2



Article XI – Committees

Section 1 – Appointment

The President, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint such standing and special committees, as may be necessary to carry out the goals and objectives of the USLA. The Committees shall include members from all geographic regions, where applicable. The Competition Committee shall include one voting member from each USLA Region and a nonvoting chairperson, appointed by the President, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors. The three Athlete Representatives who received the highest number of votes at the most recent election of Athlete Representatives shall also be voting members of the Competition Committee.

Section 2 – Standing Committees

The following shall be considered standing committees: Membership, Public Education, Certification and Ways and Means. No Standing Committee shall be chaired by the USLA President, Vice President or Secretary.

Section 3 – Special Committees

The following shall be considered special committees: Competition, Heroic Acts, Junior Lifeguard, Magazine Publication and Website.

Additional committees and professional advisory boards may be created by the President or Executive Committee with the approval of the Board of Directors.

No Special Committee shall be chaired by the USLA President, Vice President or Secretary.

Section 4 – Nomination’s Chairperson

A. Selection

At the Spring meeting of the Board of Directors, in each odd numbered year, the President shall appoint a Nominations Chairperson to solicit nominations for and interest in nationally elected and appointed officers.

B. Notification

The Nominations Chairperson shall notify the Secretary at least thirty (30) days prior to the election of candidates for national office. The Secretary shall include a copy thereof in a mailing to all Regional Boards of Directors, Directors and Officers. Said mailing may be accomplished by electronic means.

C. Additional Nominations

Any Director may make nominations from the floor at the time of the election.

ATTACHMENT 2

USLA Bylaws Article VIII, Section 4.B(2) states that "the Executive Committee shall have the authority to act on behalf of the USLA Board of Directors between Board of Director's Meetings". This section pertaining to the authority of the Executive Committee does not mention the authority to act during Board of Director Meetings.

The Executive Committee is listed on the USLA Board of Directors Meeting Agendas as a "Regular Committee". The USLA Bylaws do not mention "Regular Committees". USLA Bylaws Article XI, Sections 2 & 3 only mention "Standing Committees" and "Special Committees". Per these bylaw sections, the USLA President, Vice-President or Secretary may not chair a Standing Committee or Special Committee.

My question: Is the USLA Executive Committee functioning in accordance with the USLA Bylaws? If the answer is yes, no action is needed. If the answer is no, then the USLA Executive Committee should function in accordance with the existing bylaws or the USLA Bylaws should be amended to reflect the current practice of the USLA Executive Committee.

If the USLA Executive Committee has the authority to meet and act on behalf of the USLA Board of Director's during USLA Board of Director Meetings, that should be stated in the USLA

Bylaws in the Section on the Authority of the Executive Committee (Article VIII, Section 4.B(2). What kind of committee is the USLA Executive Committee? Standing, Special or Regular? If the

USLA Executive Committee is a Regular Committee, Regular Committees should be defined in the USLA Bylaws. If the USLA Executive Committee is a Standing Committee or Special Committee, it should adhere Article XI, Sections 2 & 3. Or, Article XI, Sections 2 & 3 should be amended to reflect the current practice of the USLA Executive Committee.

ATTACHMENT 3

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Certification Committee

Committee Action Report

Date: May 1, 2010

Committee Chair: Tony Pryor

Committee Members:

Ralph Wagner – South Atlantic, Joe Pecoraro – Great lakes, Dave Shotwell – Mid Atlantic, Rich Hidalgo – Southwest, Ralph Goto – Pacific Islands, Gerry Falconer - Southeast

Discussion Items (Not requiring Board of Directors approval)

1. Adding salary to be a part of certification requirements. Mid Atlantic made the motion Southeast second. The motion did not pass.

Committee Goals

1. Get the extensions caught up.

2. Have no extensions next time.

3. Better communication between Brenda, myself, and the CO’s

Action Items (Requiring Board of Directors approval)

1. Virginia Beach EMS – regular

2. Hawaii County – regular

3. Kanula Water Safety – regular pending swim policy

4. Santa Barbara _ regular

5. South Walton Fire District – regular

6. Panama Beach – regular

7. San Francisco – arrt

8. La County Dept of Parks & Rec Lake Lifeguards – advanced

9. Kill Devil Hills – regular

10. Nassau County

11. San Diego Fire Rescue – advanced

12. North Myrtle Beach – regular

13. Miami Beach - regular

Attachments

1. Click here to list attachments or, if none, delete this section and header

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Heroic Acts, Recognition, Awards, and Presentation



Committee Chair: Adrienne Groh

Committee Members:

Jim McCrady, SE, Gerry Falconer, SE, Ron Schafer, SW, Ralph Wagner, SA, Bill Richardson SW, Jerry Gavin, GL

Introduction

Thank you again to Bill for all of his hard work and dedication to this committee while I was unable to attend.


1. The committee discussed the importance of updating the USLA website with the accurate title of the committee from Heroic Acts to Heroic Acts, Recognition, Awards, and Presentations

2. Work with website committee to have all of the applications for awards on the USLA website for ease of completion and submission

3. Update Heroic Acts to include non-lifeguard and lifeguard categories as approved from Williamsburg meeting

4. The committee discussed the increasing costs for the Medal of Valor, but that it is our most prestigious award and no one wants to get an inexpensive looking award. Research for other options with other vendors will be conducted.

Committee Goals

1. Research more affordable medals of valor without decreasing the integrity of the award we present

2. Update the USLA website to provide appropriate and updated material with all changes as approved by the BOD


1. Don Lund approved from SE region; Martin County, FL for Medal of Valor

2. Chris Beeman approved from SE region; Ft. Lauderdale, FL for a Meritorious Act

3. Patrick O’Connor approved from SE region; Panama City Beach, FL for a Meritorious Act

4. April Barrientos, Robin Lang, Scottie Norton from SA region; Virginia Beach, VA for a National Lifesaving Award

5. Mark Feighan, PJ Liebig, Daryl McDonald, Sgt. Jon Vipond from SW region; San Diego, CA for Medal of Valor

6. Matt Blackford and Greg Meyer from SW region; Newport Beach, CA for Medal of Valor

7. Sean Starky from SW region; Newport, CA for Heroic Act

8. Sgt. Brian Brown from SW region; Manhattan Beach, CA for Heroic Act

9. Ryan Hoffman from SW region; Malibu, CA for Heroic Act

10. Dylan Jones from SW region; Los Angelus, CA for Heroic Act

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Attachments

1. Click here to list attachments or, if none, delete this section and header

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Junior Lifeguard


Date: April 29,2010

Committee Chair: Reenie Boyer

Committee Members:

GL – Andy Braudy

GC – Penny Shull

MA – Tom Daly

NE -

NW – Bret Whitaker

PI – Kalani Vierra

SA – Mickey Hutto

SE – JO Wagenhals

SW – Charlotte graham

Introduction

Thanks for attending the JG Committee Meeting.


1. Confirmation of Committee members.

2. 2010 JG Bumper sticker Contest. Rules will be posted on the USLA web site. Entries are due at the Fall JG Committee Meeting. A $100 award for each division.

3. Additional information about the 2010 National competition will be posted on the USLA web site when available.

4. The JG USLA logo is in the process of being trademarked.

5. The new Junior Jam Editor is Jo Wagenhals.

6. All Committee Members enjoyed an informative Round Table.

7. I will work with the USLA attorney on the JG rule wording. We voted on the approval of Option #3. To allow paid JG Assistants or JG Aids to compete in the AA division. Approved wording will be presented at the Fall meeting.

Committee Goals

1. Have more JG articles in the American Lifeguard magazine.

Attachments

1. 2010 Bumper Sticker Contest Rules.

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MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Action Report

Date: May 1, 2010 Galveston, TX

Committee Chair: Charlotte Graham Co-chair: Charlie Hartl

Members in attendance:

GC: none GL: Joe Pecoraro MA: Ed Kiziukiewicz

NE: none NW: Bert Whitaker PI: none

SA: Tom Gill, Ralph Wagner SE: Gerry Falconer, Jo Wagenhals SW: Bob Moore

Erik Schwarz


1. Reviewed the 2010-11 kit items; members were happy with the kit and Regional reps have submitted or will mail their portion of the cost-share for the barrel bags.

2. Discussed new benefit offer from American Income Life Insurance for a $2000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment offer to all USLA Members. This is a benefit with NO cost to the USLA and which includes some additional benefits such as a Health Services Discount Card and a Child Safe Kit. The Committee felt that there was no downside to offering this benefit. The Committee agrees that our mailing list must remain our property and that the Chair shall either handle the distribution of the benefit offer (which AIL produces and pays postage) or ask AIL to provide the cost of the excess postage to insert the offer into the current membership kit envelope.

3. As part of the discussion on the definition of a Professional Member, the committee discussed the concept of “dual membership”. While the entire committee agreed that individuals could not be Junior members of one chapter and Professional members of another during the same year, committee members were torn over whether guards could or should be Professional members of two or more chapters simultaneously in a given membership year. This situation happens occasionally due to automatic chapter sign-ups, switching jobs mid-member year, or for competition purposes. The committee reps were asked to bring this topic back to their Regions for further discussion and solutions if they are needed. They were also asked to watch for any dual memberships in their Region and note the possible reason(s).

Committee Goals

1. Research the possibility of towels as the primary 2011-12 Membership kit item


1. Approve the $2000 Accidental D&D benefit from American Income Life, subject to review of the contract by the legal advisor and approval of the contract by the Exec Committee.

2. Approve the amendment to Article V, Section 2 A, clarifying the definition of a Professional Member to include that the individual must be or have been a lifeguard, subject to review of the Bylaw Committee. Specific language follows.

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Proposed Amendment to USLA Bylaws Article V Membership, Section 2 A (1)

1.

SECTION 2 Individual Membership

A. Professional Member

To qualify as a Professional Member, an individual must:

(1) Be a direct, active, seasonal or retired individual (employee), including a chief, director or equivalent, who has worked in the capacity as a lifeguard of an ocean, bay, lake, river or open water lifesaving or rescue service.

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PUBLIC EDUCATION



Committee Chair: Denise Blair

Committee Members:

Penny Shull, Gulf Coast; Tom Daly, Mid-Atlantic; Gus Avila, Southwest; Craig Lumb, Southwest; Andrew Healy, Mid-Atlantic; Jo Wagenhals, Southeast; Andrew Braudy, Great Lakes; Reenie Boyer, Southwest; Rob Williams, Southwest; Peter Davis, Gulf Coast; Johnathan Billings, Southeast; Erik Schwarz, Southeast; Bill Humphreys, Southwest; Ralph Wagner, South Atlantic;


1. Facebook: The Public Education Committee has decided to explore creating a Facebook page for USLA. We will be able to post pictures, service announcements, public education information, warnings, etc. Pending the approval of the legal advisor and the Public Education committee, Erik Schwarz has volunteered to create a USLA Facebook page. The Public Education Chair and the Webmaster will have control over what is posted on the page. The chair has already spoken with the legal advisor and will meet with him to discuss further concerns.

2. Beach Safety Week Challenge: The committee will run the challenge again this year. The deadline to submit entries has been extended until July 15th. Agencies that hold programs promoting Beach Safety are asked to submit a written description of the program (250 words or less) as well as pictures. Entries should be submitted to Denise Blair at [email protected]

3. Beach Safety Week Proclamation: The committee feels a request should be sent to the President, Congress and the Senate for a National Beach Safety Week Proclamation. Denise Bair will send all necessary information to President Brewster.

4. Dark Side of the Sun DVD: Jack Biggane started the Mollie Biggane Foundation after his daughter, Mollie, passed away just 6 months after being diagnosed with Melanoma. The foundation has developed the Dark Side of the Sun DVD with a lesson plan to go along with the DVD as well as other material to educate the public on Melanoma. The Public Education Committee has been asked to help distribute the DVDs and materials, at no cost to us. The committee has agreed to distribute the material pending the Medical Advisor’s review of the material.

5. Lifeguard Board Game: The committee has been approached by a company from Great Britain to develop a USLA version of Great Britain’s Lifeboat Game. The company would be responsible for obtaining sponsors, manufacturing, and marketing the games. This could be a possible revenue source. The committee is very excited about the game. We are asking each region to submit 25 questions for the game. A PDF file with the current questions will be mailed out. The Contracted Staff Liaison will have ISG contact Paul Watton regarding the financial aspects of the game.

6. Bookmarks: The committee decided to purchase bookmarks with our revised USLA Safety Tips. The front of the bookmark will have the artwork from the winning JG Bumper Sticker with the Safety Tips on the back. The committee voted to purchase $4,000 worth of bookmarks.


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7. USLA Brochure: The current USLA brochure needs to be updated. Bill Humphreys will develop a template of a tri fold brochure and bring it to the fall meeting for the committee to review.

8. Website: When the website is updated, all of the public education material will be under one section. And the safety tips will be updated.

Committee Goals

1. To develop USLA Facebook Page.

2. To assist in developing the Lifeguard Board Game.

3. To update and revise the USLA brochure.

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Ways & Means


Date: May 1, 2010

Committee Chair: Rob Williams

Committee Members:

Bob Moore SW Bert Whitaker NW Gerry Falconer SE Peter Davis GC Mickey Hutto SA Joe Pecoraro GL Charlie Hartl MA


1. Reviewed 2009 Financial statements

2. Reviewed 2010 Year-to-Date Financial Statements.

3. Bert Whitaker asked if the combined federal account info not been put out to membership? 2009 we got just under $2,000. Once we get an e-mail blast system out we’ll be able to get much more from this 2010 Budget

4. Discussed the new website. Charlie Hartl pointed out that money from website comes out of two areas – the Data Base Line Item and the Website Line Item. The new website will cost $5,995, which is an annual fee and well within the “Website” line item. Thus, in the future the Data Base Line Item may be eliminated. This summer we’ll run parallel systems because there isn’t time to replace Interfuse system but there may be a way to run a hybrid system this summer. Once we go to the new system, Interfuse might invoice us for money that has not been paid. There’s a contract that was signed - although there’s work unfinished, we may be required to honor that amount.

5. Craig Lumb asked on behalf of the SW Region that $5,000 be given to competition host as seed money as a permanent arrangement beginning in 2011. Rob Williams said it would be appropriate to work on that for the 2011 budget, since this year’s budget it already set. Rob Williams spoke with Ed Zebrowski and Jay Butki about exploring the possibility of the competition committee’s budget operate more independently where they would retain the proceeds of competition revenue and clean up the process. Rob will take the issue to the Fall Meeting.


1. Gerry Falconer brought up that there will be 6-7 medals of valor for the fall meeting which would cause the Awards and Special Presentation committee to go over budget. Gerry made a motion that the Awards and Special Presentation committee be allowed to go over budget. Peter Davis seconded it and it passed unanimously.

1.1. Board of Directors passed motion.

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LIFESAVER EDUCATION


Date: May 1, 2010

Committee Chair: Timothy Gallagher

Committee Members:

Joe Pecoraro, Eddie K, Bert Whitaker, Ralph Wagner, Rob McGowan

Introduction

The committee would like to recognize the efforts of deceased life member Dr. Jim McCloy who was instrumental in hosting the first USLA educational conference in Galveston over 20 years ago. It was a pleasure to be back in Galveston and to have Dr. McCloy’s wife Pat visit us at the conference.


Discussion centered on the next educational conference to be held in the Northwest Region. Topics for consideration for the next conference are:

1. Round table discussion on Agency’s public educational programs.

2. A presentation from the Coast Guard on their rescue swimmer program.

3. Placement of Lifeguard Agencies in the Emergency Management System.

4. Critical incident distress debriefing; Who, How, When, How accomplished.

Committee Goals

Future issues to discuss:

1. Contact Legal Advisor on possible legal issues for presentation.

2. Contact Medical Advisor on possible medical issues for presentation.

3. CEVO on Sand

Documents

UNITED STATES LIFESAVING ASSOCIATION - c.ymcdn.com · Approval of Minutes – Motion by Mr. Dave Foxwell to approve the meeting minutes from the Board of Dire c tors Meeting in Williamsburg,