Newtown’s Lifeguards: The Dress Is Casual, But The Attitude Isn’t

By Steve Bigham

The heat, haze, and humidity has turned the pools at Dickinson and Treadwell parks into popular places early on this summer.

Those seeking to beat the heat turned out in droves last week as temperatures soared near 100 degrees. At Treadwell, lifeguards were forced to turn would-be swimmers away. The pool had reached its 300-person capacity. The much larger pool at Dickinson was just as crowded.

The Parks and Recreation Department reports selling more than 1,000 pool passes already this season. As the thermometer continues to rise, so, too, will park pool pass sales.

“There have been lines for weeks for pool passes,” noted Debra Denzel of the Parks & Rec office.

Sitting high atop all this fun in the sun are 22 (very tan) young men and women who get paid to wear bathing suits and suntan lotion. These lifeguards are mostly high school and college students who do a lot more than just sit by the pool. They are charged with ensuring the safety of every swimmer.

“We take everything very seriously. We really make sure that people are attentive up in their chairs and make sure they’re also good with public relations,” said 20-year-old Ryan Eberts, the head lifeguard at Dickinson.

Ryan, a junior economics major at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania, admits the job can be stressful, but says he loves it just the same. This is his first year at the helm, but fourth as a Dickinson lifeguard.

“My most memorable experience would be when a child went under and I pulled her out of the water and you could see the fear she had,” Ryan recalled this week. “I remember the feeling I had when I handed her over to her mother. I was just doing my job, but it was really rewarding to know the kid was safe because of you.”

Joe Blanchard, 20, is the assistant head lifeguard. Joe is a junior environmental studies major at the University of New Hampshire. Both Joe and Ryan graduated from Newtown High School in 2000.

Other Dickinson lifeguards are Karlis Griffiths, Keira Morin, Emily Martin, Cassie Bagaglio, Whitney Blanchard, Sarah Litty, Angela Meloni, Melissa Williams, Ryan Ignatius, and Quincey Blanchard.

Nick Taylor is the head lifeguard at Treadwell Park. Nick recently graduated from Keene State University in New Hampshire and is pursuing a career in elementary education. For now, however, he has his mind on making sure everyone stays safe poolside.

“We’ve really got our hands full here. It’s really been busy. The town is growing and the pool is not getting any bigger,” he said.

Fortunately, Nick’s got nine years experience under his belt. This is his second year in charge. He also has his entire crew back from last year, including assistant Blair Balmforth, a student at the University of Maine. The other lifeguards are Greg Taylor, Heather Balmforth, Katherine Matz, Jean Marie Morlath, Adam Hopkins, Mike Papper, Will Simmons, and Tracy Samuels.

So which of Newtown’s two public pools is harder to lifeguard?

“I say Dickinson because you can’t see the bottom in some parts and it’s much bigger. There are many different areas where you have to make sure kids aren’t in trouble. The dock can be really dangerous if the kids don’t follow the rules,” Ryan said.

Nick takes a different spin.

“I think they’re both equally hard. Dickinson is harder because it’s a much bigger area. Treadwell has more people in a smaller area. It’s crowded with people right on top of each other and that makes it hard,” he explained.

In all, more than 20 lifeguards will staff the two pools this summer, with plenty of substitutes waiting in the wings.

Parks and Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian believes Newtown has some of the most experienced lifeguards around.

“We’re very fortunate here because we’re capable of offering lifeguard certification courses at the high school,” Mrs Kasbarian said.

Nevertheless, every summer brings it share of “99s” –– a code called when a lifeguard is approached by a frantic parent who cannot find a child. That is when Ryan or Nick will blow their whistles to start a well-planned rescue drill. Not a minute is wasted as the pool is emptied and a search is conducted. Of course, the missing child is usually found over by the sandbox –– the only place mom or dad forgot to look. The lifeguards have to be prepared for a true rescue, however, and they are constantly honing their skills.