Disney Cruise Line Adds Lifeguards

[LauraS]

Check out the latest Disney Cruise Line news from Cruise Critic:

 

Disney Cruise Line Adds Lifeguards

[Irene7]

Glad to see the lifeguards on board the Disney Ships. But parents please understand that they are lifeguards and not baby sitters. We all still need to watch the little ones with both eyes.:)

[Tonka's Skipper]

Glad to see the lifeguards on board the Disney Ships. But parents please understand that they are lifeguards and not baby sitters. We all still need to watch the little ones with both eyes.:)

 

 

THIS!, double over!:D

 

AKK

[MizDaisy]

A crew member on another board has stated that the "lifeguards" are CM's who are just filling in when not doing their "regular" job. They aren't certified life guards, and are really only there to act as an extra set of eyes.

 

While I believe it's still a good thing to have that extra set of eyes out there, and as a parent, would never take my eyes off one of my kids (or now, grandkids), I think if DCL is going to advertise this, they should be Red Cross certified.

 

And there always were CM's at the pool to watch, anyway. Especially at the Mickey slide, and now the AquaDuck.

[Scrapnana]

I think that having CMs who are not certified act as lifeguards could potentially cause more problems.

[Tonka's Skipper]

A crew member on another board has stated that the "lifeguards" are CM's who are just filling in when not doing their "regular" job. They aren't certified life guards, and are really only there to act as an extra set of eyes.

 

While I believe it's still a good thing to have that extra set of eyes out there, and as a parent, would never take my eyes off one of my kids (or now, grandkids), I think if DCL is going to advertise this, they should be Red Cross certified.

 

And there always were CM's at the pool to watch, anyway. Especially at the Mickey slide, and now the AquaDuck.

 

 

I totally agree daisy!

 

If they are to be advertised as Lifeguards, they should be certified.

 

AKK

[Irene7]

I totally agree daisy!

 

If they are to be advertised as Lifeguards' date=' they should be certified.

 

AKK[/quote']

 

 

They definitely need to be certified by the red cross, or they will be of no help. This is worse then not having lifeguards at all. I hope that CM was just talking crap.

[Irene7]

I think that having CMs who are not certified act as lifeguards could potentially cause more problems.

 

I agree.

[MizDaisy]

They definitely need to be certified by the red cross, or they will be of no help. This is worse then not having lifeguards at all. I hope that CM was just talking crap.

 

I hope so, too. From what was said, the only thing they (the CM lifeguard) are allowed to do, is to pull a child from the water. Medical has to be called to perform any lifesaving procedures.

[Tonka's Skipper]

I hope so, too. From what was said, the only thing they (the CM lifeguard) are allowed to do, is to pull a child from the water. Medical has to be called to perform any lifesaving procedures.

 

 

hi daisy,

 

This is beginning to sound funny. Every CM onboard cruise liners take courses in CPR and emergency procedures. If a CM or anyone(who knows CPR) pulls a person from the water and they are not breathing, EVERY training procedure says to start CPR IMMEDIATELY.

 

It would be so wrong to prevent a CM from starting CPR waiting on medical personal. Wrong and possibly liable.:mad:

 

This story sounded odd to being with and in my point of view this newest part about no CPR pretty well proves its a fake.

 

AKK

[moki'smommy]

Many moons ago (high school age...) I was Red Cross certified and worked as a lifeguard and swimming teacher. Reality--the pools on the ship are not such that any real lifeguard skills would be required other than watching and pulling out someone--it isn't like they are 12 feet deep and require skill. And every CM should have CPR training..

 

That said, the strongest comment is that they are NOT babysitters. Each lifeguard will be assigned an area of the pool. That area may have 30 or more kids in it. THe CM will be trying to watch all those kids--an impossible task. A parent has 1 or 2 or 3 kids to watch. Having a lifeguard present does not relieve the parent of responsibility! Keep your eye on your children. Please do not let them go to any pool unsupervised!

[bphman]

Two of my kids were certified lifeguards and completed WSI courses. This is not an easy job. They worked in crowded municipal pools and both had saves credited to them. And often times the parents were not around. You have to be extremely attentive. Some parents fail to supervise their kids and may have a false sense of security if they think someone is watching their children. In seconds a child can be underwater and, in a crowded pool, be easily missed especially with no trained lifeguards around. This is a step in the right direction but not adequate IMHO.

[MizDaisy]

Two of my kids were certified lifeguards and completed WSI courses. This is not an easy job. They worked in crowded municipal pools and both had saves credited to them. And often times the parents were not around. You have to be extremely attentive. Some parents fail to supervise their kids and may have a false sense of security if they think someone is watching their children. In seconds a child can be underwater and, in a crowded pool, be easily missed especially with no trained lifeguards around. This is a step in the right direction but not adequate IMHO.

 

 

I was a lifeguard and taught swim lessons for years. I have to say I was extremely lucky to never have had to "save" anyone. Nothing more than just jumping in and grabbing someone in trouble, anyway.

 

But it did happen that no matter how many eyes were on the pool and the kids, at least once every summer, when the pool called for the "10 minute break" where everyone had to clear the pool, they'd find a body on the bottom. :(

 

Accidents are going to happen no matter what.....but I wholeheartedly agree that if you are a parent, and you are going to let your child near water, even if it's only 2" deep....you don't take your eyes off of them.

[MizDaisy]

hi daisy' date='

 

This is beginning to sound funny. Every CM onboard cruise liners take courses in CPR and emergency procedures. If a CM or anyone(who knows CPR) pulls a person from the water and they are not breathing, EVERY training procedure says to start CPR IMMEDIATELY.

 

It would be so wrong to prevent a CM from starting CPR waiting on medical personal. Wrong and possibly liable.:mad:

 

This story sounded odd to being with and in my point of view this newest part about no CPR pretty well proves its a fake.

 

AKK[/quote']

 

I agree. It makes no sense at all. :confused:

 

I don't want to go so far as to call the person who posted a liar, but just as a parent, and as someone who spent half my life either as a lifeguard, or teaching swim lessons (to kids, adults, and handicapped) and swam & played water polo competitively.....in other words, my life revolved around water :p.....I WOULDN'T TRUST ANYONE WITH MY KIDS OR GRANDKIDS.

 

 

Sorry...I only bolded that last part because I finally got to the point of my post.;)

[boulders]

Unfortunately, people think that because it's Disney, bad things won't happen to their children. Everyone will have a magical time. They let their children have a lot more freedom than they would in other places or other cruise lines. A friend went on DCL a few months ago and let her 10 year old dd wander around the ship and go to the pool, with a 9 year old friend, by themselves. :eek::eek: Nothing I said could convince her that this was a bad idea. :( Luckily, everyone survived. But this mentality astonishes me.

Edited October 31, 2013 by boulders

[Host Mick]

Here's a little drill to show what a difficult task a lifeguard has.

This is a security video from a pool. A person is about to start drowning. Can you spot the person before the lifeguard's whistle?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1-3lRmLy1k

 

Now keep in mind that you knew that it was going to happen. The lifeguard didn't.

I think that another pair of eyes on the pool, Red Cross trained or not is better than none.

Watch your kids.

 

BTW, he did that torpedo buoy save like a pro.

Edited October 31, 2013 by Host Mick

[MizDaisy]

Here's a little drill to show what a difficult task a lifeguard has.

This is a security video from a pool. A person is about to start drowning. Can you spot the person before the lifeguard's whistle?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1-3lRmLy1k

 

Now keep in mind that you knew that it was going to happen. The lifeguard didn't.

I think that another pair of eyes on the pool, Red Cross trained or not is better than none.

Watch your kids.

 

BTW, he did that torpedo buoy save like a pro.

 

We didn't have the buoys back in the day. There was a technique for hitting the water and keeping your head above, so as to not lose sight of the person drowning. And it worked. But a buoy would have been easier.

 

Have to laugh.....one of the classes I took was taught by a former Mr. America. The guy was huge, solid muscle....we had to "save" him in the deep end of the pool and he fought like crazy. Whew. It is definitely not an easy job.

[tmac04]

I am relieved at the thought of a CM on duty at the pools. I never leave my kids unattended at the pool. This last summer I hated it when my kids wanted to go swimming because the pool was such a mad house. I felt like a meanie because I tried everything I could think of to keep them from wanting to swim because I didn't trust the other kids. They jump in the pool and land on 2-3 other kids and my youngest could barely touch the bottom. It would take much for an older kid to knock her down and pin her under water!

[Irene7]

Here's a little drill to show what a difficult task a lifeguard has.

This is a security video from a pool. A person is about to start drowning. Can you spot the person before the lifeguard's whistle?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1-3lRmLy1k

 

Now keep in mind that you knew that it was going to happen. The lifeguard didn't.

I think that another pair of eyes on the pool, Red Cross trained or not is better than none.

Watch your kids.

 

BTW, he did that torpedo buoy save like a pro.

 

I did spot which child it was before the whistle because my daughter had taught me what to look for. But as you said we already knew one would be in trouble before hand and the lifeguard did not. Fast reaction by the lifeguard, God Bless him - great job!

Edited November 1, 2013 by Irene7

[Susiecruisey]

Well I guess the rates will now go higher.

[ducklite]

Well I guess the rates will now go higher.

 

I was thinking the same thing. Simply because irresponsible parents "check out" when they go on vacation.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[BeagleOne]

I post this whenever the topic of drowning comes up.

 

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

 

Please read it and watch the video link at the end; it shows a child quietly drowning within feet of multiple adults, none of whom has the slightest clue what is happening. The child is saved at the end by a lifeguard.

 

I would also recommend that everyone who is physically and mentally capable of learning and doing CPR, should learn CPR! At best a person only has 4-6 minutes' worth of oxygen in their bloodstream; if effective CPR isn't started within that time, survival rates plummet. If no one on the scene does anything, by the time the emergency responders get there, it's often too late.

 

CPR by bystanders saved the little boy who almost drowned on the Disney ship. He will almost certainly have permanent deficits, but he is alive, making slow progress, and with his family. He would be dead if the strangers around the pool hadn't started CPR on him as soon as he was pulled from the water.

 

Please, LEARN CPR!!!!

Edited November 2, 2013 by BeagleOne

[ducklite]

I post this whenever the topic of drowning comes up.

 

http://mariovittone.com/2010/05/154/

 

Please read it and watch the video link at the end; it shows a child quietly drowning within feet of multiple adults, none of whom has the slightest clue what is happening. The child is saved at the end by a lifeguard.

 

I would also recommend that everyone who is physically and mentally capable of learning and doing CPR, should learn CPR! At best a person only has 4-6 minutes' worth of oxygen in their bloodstream; if effective CPR isn't started within that time, survival rates plummet. If no one on the scene does anything, by the time the emergency responders get there, it's often too late.

 

CPR by bystanders saved the little boy who almost drowned on the Disney ship. He will almost certainly have permanent deficits, but he is alive, making slow progress, and with his family. He would be dead if the strangers around the pool hadn't started CPR on him as soon as he was pulled from the water.

 

Please, LEARN CPR!!!!

 

I'll add to this. Learn both adult CPR and infant and child CPR. All three are very different from each other.

 

That said, I still don't believe that lifeguards are needed on cruise ships. Instead parents should be 100% watchful of their children. It shouldn't be left up to other adults, older siblings (unless life guard certified or adult themselves) or anyone else but the parents who should be in the pool or on the pool deck with the kids. Period. Not at the nearby bar, not in a chair riding a book, but eyeballs in their kids.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[Ex techie]

hi daisy' date='

 

This is beginning to sound funny. [b']Every CM onboard cruise liners take courses in CPR[/b] and emergency procedures. If a CM or anyone(who knows CPR) pulls a person from the water and they are not breathing, EVERY training procedure says to start CPR IMMEDIATELY.

 

It would be so wrong to prevent a CM from starting CPR waiting on medical personal. Wrong and possibly liable.:mad:

 

This story sounded odd to being with and in my point of view this newest part about no CPR pretty well proves its a fake.

 

AKK

 

Skipper, may I ask when this training was introduced?

It is certainly in contradiction to what I was taught to do?! Just call for medical help?

 

ex techie

[ducklite]

Skipper, may I ask when this training was introduced?

It is certainly in contradiction to what I was taught to do?! Just call for medical help?

 

ex techie

 

Some here. We were specifically told to never apologize, in any way accept blame, or to render any type of medical or other assistance unless it was to remove someone from immediate danger, and to call for medical/police. I still remember that part of Traditions ( which was part of the whole LP segment) very clearly.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...