Following a significant interruption in service due to safety concerns, Las Vegas Athletic Club (LVAC) is set to reopen its gym pools in the Las Vegas area. This development comes after the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) approved the club's new lifeguard staffing plans, News 3 LV reports. The pools had been closed since February when an LVAC member tragically lost her life while swimming at one of the club's locations, an incident that occurred in the absence of on-duty lifeguards.
The SNHD had previously granted LVAC a waiver allowing the gym pools to operate without a lifeguard on the premises. However, the waiver was revoked after the customer's death. In response to the revocation, LVAC submitted a comprehensive lifeguard plan which the Health District has now signed off on, as shown in a letter from SNHD dated October 1. According to KTNV, the plan's conditions include a series of audits, monthly in-service training for lifeguards, and active managerial control of the on-duty lifeguards to ensure proper supervision.
As part of the stringent new measures, LVAC is required to conduct three in-person audits for each of the seven locations around Las Vegas. The initial audits must be completed by a contracted third-party lifeguarding company before December 31, with two additional audits required for each facility by October 1, 2025. These measures are set to enforce higher safety standards and ensure ongoing compliance with health and safety regulations.
Moreover, LVAC's lifeguard staff will be obliged to complete monthly in-service training, and the facility must maintain thorough documentation of these sessions. Ensuring patron safety, front desk staff and managers are tasked with monitoring the live feed of the pool area and must respond within 30 seconds if a customer breaches the barrier and/or enters the pool outside of designated hours.
This plan is a positive step towards better safety in community fitness centers. It shows the importance of being vigilant and taking action to prevent future tragedies.
