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Elijah Finkelshteyn : Improve Guard Response to Prepare for Variable Conditions

Candidate: Elijah Finkelshteyn

Mentor: Elena Edgar

Details

For my mentorship project, I decided to focus on improving guard response (to saves). The reason I chose this as a mentorship project is because guards should be ready to respond to unpredictable saves at any time -in other words guards should be ready to respond when not in the immediate area of rescue equipment (rotating another guard out, in the locker room, taking out trash, etc..). In the event of a real save, there is no time to plan out where guards will be at (like in a Live recognition drill).


Related Tasks:

Elijah Finkelshteyn: In-service Station (Unpredictable Multi-Area response)

Objective: Guards should be ready to respond to unpredictable saves at any time -in other words guards should be ready to respond when not in the immediate area of rescue equipment (rotating another guard out, in the locker room, taking out trash, etc..). In the event of a real save, there is no time to plan out where guards will be at (like in a Live recognition drill).

  • Explain the objective to guards present at the station (1-5 minutes)

How to run the station:

  • Choose between a passive, active, spinal, choking – Similar to how we have been our VAT drop station at in services
    • Have 2-3 activated EAP’s at a time – in order to practice multi area response
  • Location of Response (per team):
    • 2-3 Guard chairs up – 2 people per chair (Guards MUST be rotating)
    • 2 guards “taking out garbage” (not literally, just so respondents are not near the site of the activated EAP)
    • 2 guards in locker room
  • Primary will activate EAP, and the response team (which is scattered around the facility) will respond to the activated EAP – but in order for the response team to properly respond they must get all rescue equipment (Backboard, AED, Oxygen, extra tube)


Was the task completed: No

Task evaluation:

Elijah Finkelshteyn: Standardizing Equipment

Objective: Standardizing what equipment should be brought to an activated EAP, when variable conditions apply (not enough guards present to bring rescue equipment).

Rescue Equipment Priority Guide:

  1. Backboard -> If person is not out of the water, Guard’s will not be able to provide any form of care (compression, AED, etc..)
  2. AED -> Best way to restart a heart
  3. Guard Tube -> Only brought when a Backboard & AED is already accounted for. Response team should be ready to take over the zone
  4. Oxygen bag -> Guards can always provide manual breaths (don’t necessarily need an O2 tank)

Note: If you can bring everything you should. Otherwise the 2 items that MUST be brought to saves are a Backboard & AED.

  • If a guard is ever alone they should be ready to bring both items AED (there is a strap for a reason), and a Backboard (be ready to pull someone out of the water).


Was the task completed: No

Task evaluation:


Related Meetings:

Elijah Finkelshteyn: Meeting #1

For our first meeting Elena and I discussed what a mentorship project is, and how it can positively impact the pools as well as our guards.

Here are some of the ideas we talked about at our first meeting (6/13/25):

  • Creating a visual for different types of care (ie.. difference in care between a child and an adult)
  • Revamping Timmy’s so they are less predictable
  • Practicing delayed care (in case response isn’t good)
  • Revamping the whistle Relay after the EAP is activated (so whistles are more clear)
  • Make a station in rotation dedicated to listening for whistles
  • Drills that practice different amount of guards present or on break during a save (as well as practicing who grabs what while responding, to ensure all equipment is accounted for)

Action items:

Narrowing down tasks. Hopefully deciding on at least one, and how it will be implemented.

Elijah Finkelshteyn: Meeting #2

Meeting #2 (6/19/25): We narrowed down a task that we would work on during our mentorship meeting. Based off of Jeff’s feedback from our meeting #1, we will not be focusing on revamping Timmy’s, instead will be focusing on an in-service station that practices the different office response (based on variable conditions).

Action items:

Creating the blueprints for an in-service station that would focus on responding to an activated EAP, while guards (response team) are not near the office / life saving equipment… In other words an in-service station dedicated to preparing guards to respond to saves when scattered around the facility

Elijah FInkelshteyn: Meeting #3

During our third meeting (7/23/25) we worked on creating a task related to our overall goal of training guards to respond to an activated EAP when not in the immediate area of rescue equipment. The task that we created is an in-service station which will help train guards to respond more effectively.

Action items:

We will run the In-service station by Jeff & Maddie to get their thoughts & approval on it. Once they approve of it, we can effectively train guards on this using our station at an in-service.

Elijah Finkelshteyn: Meeting #4

At our fourth meeting (7/24/25)- also my birthday. Elena and I reviewed our Task: in service from the last meeting and finalized any details we had left. After that we worked on creating a new task: standardizing what equipment should be brought to saves based on the amount of guards present.

On another note we completed a supervised VAT drop. The primary and response team passed with flying colors.

Action items:

Having Jeff review our task of standardizing equipment. Once we get his feedback on it, we will make any changes necessary. We will inform leadership of this (standardizing the equipment / what to bring based on the amount of people present). As well as reviewing this at the next all staff meeting.


Related Updates:


Information about the Goal

Elijah Finkelshteyn arrived at their goal through a series of meetings and refinement. Learn how that process happened.


What should we improve?

The candidate chose items in the aquatics program and department to improve. Goals are broad targets that we will work towards. Every meeting and task done will be in service of that goal. Goals should be large enough to encompass many tasks. Goals may not be attainable. Goals are our guiding direction; our North Star.

Elijah Finkelshteyn's brainstormed ideas:


Improving Customer Service
Improve Guard Responce
Improve In-service efficiency
Improving delegation during guard break time


Goal Evaluation:



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