How safe are swimming lessons for children? Very safe, assures the organizer of the course in Hamburg-Niendorf. The DRLG sees it differently.
On Wednesday, a five-year-old girl was found on the floor of the teaching pool in Niendorf’s Bondenwald swimming pool. It had taken part in a swimming course and was only pulled lifeless out of the water when the other children were already in the shower.
The child is currently receiving intensive care and is in a life-threatening condition. According to information from the “Abendblatt”, only machines are supposed to keep the girl alive.
Parents in Hamburg in particular are now asking themselves the question: How could this happen? What happened?
The course is organized by Bäderland. The municipal company operates all public swimming pools in Hamburg and offers a variety of swimming courses for all age groups. “We also deeply regret the accident,” Bäderland spokesman Michael Dietel told t-online on Thursday.
Courses with ten children are staffed by one specialist
What exactly happened on the course is currently being reconstructed. From Bäderland’s point of view, a lack of personnel is not an option. According to a statement from the company, certified lifeguards were among the rescuers.
Dietel also reports that the course itself was staffed sufficiently. Toddler swimming courses with up to ten participants at Bäderland are staffed by a swimming instructor, the spokesman said. Ten children attended the swimming course on Wednesday.
The DLRG employs more staff than Bäderland
Dietel also refers to the training of swimming teachers. If you want to teach small children to swim, you need the German Lifeguard Badge (DRSA) in silver as well as first aid training and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. This training is updated at least once a year.
However, there do not seem to be any common standards for children’s swimming courses in Hamburg. Schools that offer swimming lessons must adhere to the regulations of the North Accident Insurance Fund, a spokeswoman said when asked. However, Bäderland is a municipal company and is therefore not tied to the North Accident Insurance Fund.
The requirements of the German Life Saving Society Hamburg (DLRG) also do not apply to Bäderland. The DLRG standards are higher than those of Bäderland. A spokesman for the DLRG Hamburg pointed this out at the request of t-online.
Four eyes see more than two.
A DLRG spokesman on the topic of safety at the edge of the pool
The DLRG uses two swimming specialists for such large courses as the one at Bondenwald, according to a spokesman. “One person stands at the pool, has a big overview, one is in the water, busy with the children.” This is safer and relieves the burden on staff. The speaker: “Four eyes see more.”
A refresher only checks one of the ten tasks
Even at the DLRG, only well-trained staff come to the edge of the pool. Not only do you have to bring the DRSA in silver, but you also have to repeat the entire course every two years. In addition, they still have to successfully complete a lot of didactic exercises. A complete course consists of ten exercises that must be completed successfully, according to the DLRG man.
The DLRG man refuses to just refresh courses. Only one of the ten tasks is checked. The spokesman: “That’s not enough for us. The job at the pool is too demanding for that.”
2023-10-05 17:55:52
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