On guard? As more hotels use water attractions to draw visitors, they need to rethink their policies about lifeguards--or risk tragedy.(Risk Management)(dangers and management of indoor waterparks)

Walk into any hotel pool and you're likely to see more square footage of warning signs than water surface area. "No Diving," "No Running," "No Horseplay." And, in many cases, no lifeguards.

But the landscape is changing. As hotels/motels add water attractions, most facilities are also adding lifeguards.

But not all.

Holdouts in the hotel/ motel industry say if a drowning occurs when lifeguards are present, negligence is presumed, and in cases that reach a courtroom, awards can triple.

They also argue that lifeguards can give hotel guests a false sense of security. For example, some parents incorrectly assume that the lifeguard is there to "take care" of the children.

However, that's a strong reason facilities need to consider the "Rule of Numbers," according to Gerald Dworkin, a consultant with Life-saving Resources Inc. in Harrisville, N.H. As hotels lure additional visitors with water attractions, the probability of pool accidents and injuries will increase. Thus, it's in the hotel owners' best interest to prevent an accident before it happens. And when it comes to water safety, lifeguards are the key.

Of course, there are other reasons for hotels to add lifeguards. In some cases, it's simply the law. In other cases, hotels elect to have guards because they believe that it "raises the standard of care at the hotel." For example, The Crawdaddy Cove Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites in Madison, Wis., has always employed lifeguards at its waterpark. Guest feedback has been positive and the guards have made numerous saves over the years.