Swimming pools in Thool receive a swimming test: ‘An accident can happen in a small corner’

By means of: Remco Weterings

Wed May 8, 2:00 PM

General

THOLEN – Anyone who is going to have fun in one of the two Thool swimming pools next summer does not have to worry about their safety. On Saturday morning, more than forty staff members and volunteers were ready early for the annual swimming test. And the participants were not left dry.

This year’s swimming test is set up differently than in previous years, says José van Dalen, head lifeguard at De Spetter. In previous years they taught the group all the skills themselves. This year they will receive help from the Rescue Brigade from Hardinxveld-Giessendam and the Thoolse First Aid Association.

“In order to practice completely realistically, we also have some National Training for the Portrayal of Victims (LOTUS) victims this year. Both parties were very enthusiastic when we asked them to help with this day.” In the water they practice with a dummy and not with a real victim. Some first aid skills are also trained on a doll.

Swimming Pool Rescue

Three members of the rescue brigade traveled from Hardinxveld-Giessendam to Zeeland early on Saturday morning to train the participants in their skills. At the end of the day they hope to be able to provide all participants with the diploma Swimming Pool Rescue. An obligation for everyone who will be at one of the swimming pools next swimming season to supervise, according to the rescue brigade.

Zeeland is not unknown territory for the rescue brigade. Some of the more than 200 members have been involved in lifeguarding on the Banjaard beach between Kamperland and Vrouwenpolder since the 1980s. “So we like to come to Zeeland.”

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Swimming test Tholen – Remco Weterings

Practice on dry land

Before the group went into the water, they first practiced on dry land to thoroughly review all the transport procedures. The participants then had to enter the water themselves to demonstrate the knowledge they had acquired in the water. “It’s all a bit different in the water than when practicing on dry land.” At the deepest part of the Thool swimming pool, at 3.80 meters, the students also had to dig up a doll and bring it safely to the side.

This was quite a challenge for some participants. The first aiders provided the students with explanations on how to act in medical emergencies. The case studies such as treating a cut and first aid in the event of a fall were deliberately chosen. “These are really typical things that you can encounter during a normal day in the swimming pool,” says one of the first aiders present.

Team building

The morning doesn’t just consist of serious training. It is also a bit of team building and catching up with each other before the new season. Many of those present have been involved with one of the swimming pools for years, a close-knit group of volunteers. And this is also evident during the coffee break. We laugh together a lot while enjoying something tasty.

While the weather has always been bad during the swimming test in recent years, the participants had a beautiful morning with the sun this day. Haestinge swimming pool in Sint-Maartensdijk and De Spetter in Tholen are open to visitors from May 6 to September 30. During the swimming test, the water at De Spetter was already a pleasant 24 degrees. That is also a nice temperature for the opening of the swimming pool, says José.