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Friday July 19, 2002

JCC pool will reopen with new guidelines for swimmers

ALEZA GOLDSMITH
Bulletin Staff

The drowning of a 6-year-old camper at the Osher Marin Jewish Community Center last month has prompted "hyper-vigilance," according to the JCC's head.

Youngsters will be facing several changes when the Olympic-size pool reopens to campers -- possibly as soon as next week.

"I think we're taking [the issue of] safety to an extreme level," said Ron Mogel, JCC executive director. "While the first wave of shock is passing, there's still a lot of sadness and we're working through it to take care of each other" and ensure security.

Aside from plans to reduce the number of kids allowed in the water and to increase the number of lifeguards, the JCC's newly hired aquatics instructor yesterday was expected to begin testing campers in third grade and above on individual swimming ability. Testing on campers below third grade should begin sometime next week.

Testing will then be an ongoing process for new campers as they join the weekly camp sessions, which continue through Aug. 23.

As a result of the testing process, campers will be color coded according to their swimming ability. Barbara Schwartz, camp director at the JCC, said the color codes are as follows:

*Red: camper may not swim during camp. Either the camper does not know how to swim or the camper's parents did not sign a swimming release form (to be sent home to the family of every camper).

* Yellow: beginners. Camper restricted to 3-1/2 feet of water. Camper must be able to put face in water and blow bubbles, hold the edge of the pool and kick feet, and dog paddle with face out of the water.

*Green: intermediate. Camper restricted to 4-1/2 feet of water. Camper must be able to do everything above plus dog paddle with face in water, float on back, push off the wall of the pool with legs, torpedo under water, and feel comfortable scooting or jumping into the pool from a sitting position on the side of the pool.

*Blue: advanced. Camper permitted to swim in the deep end. Camper must be able to do everything above proficiently, plus swim 25 yards without interrupting the flow of the stroke to take a breath. Camper must be able to swim unassisted without the wall or any other support.

The color codes and their guidelines were approved by the JCC's aquatics director and several other members of the JCC's senior staff, said Schwartz.

Schwartz, who runs both the Haverim and specialty camps at the JCC, also expects that the formerly 30- to 40-minute swim sessions will be reduced. Additional lifeguards are still being hired, she said.

The JCC's pool has remained open to the public since Natasha Lujan-Isaacs of the Haverim summer camp drowned on June 28. Two certified lifeguards, seven camp counselors and 45 children were in or near the pool when her body was found at the bottom of about 3-1/2 feet of water.

Attempts to resuscitate the 6-year-old San Franciscan were unsuccessful.

Clinical staff from S.F.-based Jewish Family and Children Services provided on-site counseling to children and adults effected by the drowning immediately afterwards and continue to help on an as-needed basis.

JFCS staff expects to see children act out their fears from the drowning through "pushing and aggressiveness" when the pool reopens, said Amy Rassen, JFCS associate executive director.

And while the pain of the drowning may never completely subside, Wendy Lapides, the JCC's spokesperson, said the center is doing its best to return its operations to normal.

"The heartache and our profound sympathies for the family still hasn't gone," she said. "But, in terms of the camp, we're running back on track and working to ensure our kids have a happy camping experience."

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