HELENA — Last Chance Splash Waterpark and Pool is getting ready to open on Monday, and so are its lifeguards.
Getting the most up-to-date information on how to keep swimmers safe – the lifeguards are practicing CPR, First Aid, and in-water training.
(See how lifeguards train for the season)
"You know you can help somebody if they needed it and not even just at the pool," said Addison Roush, a Last Chance Splash lifeguard. "You can use these skills anywhere in the community if they're needed to be."
In-water training looks like many things, including saves for active or unresponsive victims and for people who may have suffered an injury.
The lifeguards for Helena are Red Cross certified, and the city pays for their training.
"We practice in the shallow end, in the deep end, at the surface of the water, [and] at the bottom of the water," said Kait Perrodin, the recreation program manager for the City of Helena and lifeguard trainer.
Last Chance Splash has 19 lifeguards on duty during their busy hours of 1:00 to 4:00 PM.
This summer, the waterpark and pool has 34 returning lifeguards and 13 new lifeguards.
Last Chance Splash provides 1,280 swim lessons a year, and while the majority of those have been booked for this season, they still have some open ones, which you can reserve by calling the pool.
This summer is 19-year-old Garrett Krattiger's fifth season as a lifeguard, and while he has not had to use his training on the job, he did use it when he was a swimmer at Helena High School.
"A couple of years ago, my swim coach had a stroke on deck," he said. "It was just us four boys, and we saved his life. We performed a primary assessment, put him in a recovery position, and called 911."
Many of these lifeguards are teenagers, and while keeping the public safe is the primary goal of their job, there is more to it.
"Taking young people who are unsure and then giving them the confidence that they need to save a life," Perrodin said.
Last Chance Splash will open on Monday, and the lifeguards will continue training every Friday until it closes on August 16th.
