Stamp of approval: the industry needs to accredit training agencies to solidify professional standards and defend against liability.(PERSPECTIVES)

With the recent Centers of Disease Control reports and other findings about pool-water quality, the following has become evident:

* No consistent national standard exists for operation of the water quality systems of public pools.

* No consistent standards exist for the training of pool operators.

* Few training agencies conduct pool operator training.

But it's not just pool operators who have a problem. Lifeguards, lifeguard instructors, swimming instructors and sailing instructors all suffer from the same set of issues.

The solution? Accreditation of aquatics training agencies. Accreditation uses a peer review board to create a minimum set of training standards that agencies and educational centers must follow.

As an employer of lifeguards, do you know the differences between ARC, ASHI, Ellis, NASCO, USLA or YMCA lifeguard training? Do you hire guards just because they have a current lifeguard, CPR/PR and First Aid certifications? Regardless of which agency the lifeguard applicant comes from, would it not be of some comfort to know that certain training was covered by the training agency?