Rules and Safety

Emergency Signals

1 Whistle Blast - Clear the pool immediately, follow the lifeguard's instructions.
2 Whistle Blasts- Pay attention to the lifeguard and wait for direction.
3 Whistle Blasts - Swim is over

RIMP Facility Swim Test

The RIMP Facility Swim Test consists of a minimum of 2 widths of the pool doing a face in, front swim. A lifeguard may ask a patron to demonstrate the ability to pass this swim test at any time or may ask patrons to use a lifejacket.

Lifeguards and Emergencies

Lifeguards undergo extensive, ongoing training in the areas of facility operations, site specific safety, emergency procedures and rescue scenarios along with regularly recertifying awards recognized by the national governing body. A lifeguard's first priority is the safety of swimmers. Since each guard is responsible for many people at one time, lifeguards will position themselves in certain locations to maintain a clear view of the pool area. Please do your part to ensure everyone's safety and follow the directions of the lifeguard staff.

Supervision Requirements for Children

Hot Tub Use During Instructional Periods

Students registered in swim programs will have 2 minutes of warm up time in the hot tub within their allotted class time which will be supervised by their instructor.

When the class is over students are required to exit the pool as the instructors are moving on to the next lesson.

Patrons wishing to use the hot tub during this period of time must pay regular admission.

Regular Pool Usage

Active supervision is defined as being able to render immediate assistance (a few seconds away from the child) and in swimming attire.

Children 6 years and younger must be supervised by an adult (16+ years) at a 4:1 ratio or a youth (13+ years) at a 1:1 ratio.

Swimmer's of all ages must wear appropriate swimming attire, which consists of clothing worn for swimming only. No street clothes or undergarments can be worn in the pool.

Children who are not toilet trained must wear a diaper designed for swimming. Suitable products may be purchased at the admission desk. Disposable or cloth diapers without plastic covers - are not permitted as pool foulings can lead to pool closures and program delays for everyone.

Supervision Requirements for Children
Age	Wristband Required?	Able to Pass RIMP Facility Swim Test?	Supervisor Within Arms Reach?	Lifejacket Mandatory in Deep Water?	Changeroom to Use?
6 years and under	Yes	No	Yes	Lifeguard's Discretion	Supervisor's identified gender locker room or lobby washroom
6 years and under	Yes	Yes	Yes	Lifeguard's Discretion	Supervisor's identified gender locker room or lobby washroom
7 years and older	No	No	Recommended	Lifeguard's Discretion	Swimmer's identified gender locker room or lobby washroom
7 years and older	No	Yes	No	Lifeguard's Discretion	Swimmer's identified gender locker room or lobby washroom

Wristbands

The Ruth Inch Memorial Pool uses wristbands to:

Alert lifeguards to children who are required to be within arm's reach of a supervisor in the water.
Show lifeguard staff who is registered in a program when there are two programs running at the same time.

The staff member at the Reception Desk will put a disposable wristband on individuals who fall into either of these categories before the patron goes into the changeroom. Please remember that wristbands are for safety and program quality control reasons and should remain on throughout your swim.

Patrons with Serious Medical Conditions

Patrons with serious medical conditions (seizure disorders, heart conditions), should be accompanied by a person knowledgeable of their condition and directly responsible for their supervision. Any patrons with a Medic Alert or known medical conditions should report the condition to the guard on duty. The companion will be able to swim at no charge.