American Red Cross Lifeguard Games

Lifeguards from across the state of Utah meet in Kearns to compete in lifesaving skills in the American Red Cross Lifeguard Games July 18th

Kearns, Utah (July 7, 2009) -- The American Red Cross will hold the 2009, 14th Annual Lifeguard Games at the Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center on Saturday, July 18th from 7:30 am to 11:30. Lifeguard Andrew Arnold of Farmington was a member of the winning team from South Davis Recreation Center last year. The twenty year-old, who has been lifeguarding for 5 years, said he highly recommends this event, “I would encourage every pool to send lifeguards to this event, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The drills made us practice all of the important skills that a lifeguard needs and it required us to think outside of our training and to figure out what to do with our patients.” Red Cross Health and Safety Director, Mary Matthiessen explains, “This event is a great way for lifeguards to practice their skills in a non-life threatening environment. They can take what they practice here back to their own individual pools and put them into practice.”

Matthiessen, said, “Lifeguarding is much more than working on a good tan. When individuals and families come to swim at their pools, they can be assured that a trained lifeguard will be there to help them in their time of need.” About 200 lifeguards from around the state compete in the Lifeguard Games. Six-person, co-ed teams show off their skills, as the Red Cross honors the important work of lifeguards in protecting the lives of Utahns.

Drowning remains the second leading cause of death from unintentional injuries for youths ages 5 to 24, according to the National Safety Council. The majority of these deaths occur in water that is not being monitored by trained lifeguards.

The American Red Cross has been the leader in water safety and lifeguard training since 1914.

About the American Red Cross in Utah: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; teaches lifesaving skills; supplies blood to 30 area hospitals; and supports military members and their families. The organization also provides emergency utility assistance and international family tracing services. The American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization, not a government funded agency, which depends entirely upon volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. Donate your time or resources to your local Chapter. Salt Lake Area 801-323-7000 or visit www.utahredcross.org, Provo Area (801) 373-8580 www.redcrossut.org, Ogden Area (801) 627-0000, www.redcrossutah.org.

Caption for photo: left to right on the back row is Andrew Arnold, Sagen Smith, Jeralyn Turnblom. The front row is Nalu Medeiros, Steve Platt. More photos available in high resolution. This photo courtesy Kearns Oquirrh Park.