A swimming teacher claims she can cure infant’s disabilities by brutally dunking them in and out of the water, according to reports.

The Russian “exorcist” swimming coach, Elena Rodionova, forced the children head-first under the water before tossing them around.

Footage of her techniques have gone viral, with some concerned parents saying Rodionova was “torturing” her students.

“This woman is evil,” one mother wrote on Facebook.

“Only a sadist would do this to a child.”

‘Sent by God’

Read More.….

Consolidation of Equals to Expand Influence and Effectiveness Across Aquatics Industry

Colorado Springs, COLORADO, and Alexandria, VA, January 22, 2019­—The National Swimming Pool Foundation^® (NSPF) and the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) today announced that the organizations will unify to form the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance.  The unification was approved by the boards of directors of both organizations on January 18 and 19, respectively, and work is currently underway to establish and formalize governance, structure, and operations.  The unified organization is scheduled to officially begin operations on April 1.

The new organization will operate with The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance as the umbrella, leading industrywide advocacy, alliances and promotions.  Trade and foundation activities will be conducted separately for procedural and legal purposes, under the banners of The Pool & Hot Tub Professionals Association, and The Pool & Hot Tub Foundation, respectively.

All three groups will be governed by a single Board of Directors to ensure sustained unity of mission and vision, and will be initially composed of five members each from the current boards of NSPF and APSP.  Those members are:  from APSP, Chris Curcio, Scott Frost, Rich Garbee, Andrew Levinson, and Donna Williams; and from NSPF, Rob Butcher, Karl Frykman, Franceen Gonzalez, James R. Mock, and Anita Sayed, Ph.D.

“Industry leaders and our members and stakeholders increasingly realized that as our industry has continued to evolve and grow, there was tremendous, uncaptured potential to maximize our collective investments and talents for the greater good,” said Lawrence (Larry) Caniglia, CEO of APSP, in explaining why the unification is taking place after a similar effort was abandoned in 2016.  “We are excited to announce that this potential will now be realized.”

Caniglia, who had earlier told the APSP Board that he planned to retire in February 2019, has agreed to stay on as interim CEO of the consolidated organization until the new board can hire a full-time, permanent CEO; and Mock has agreed to serve as The Pool & Hot Tub Foundation’s interim Executive Director.

The new unified Board of Directors plans to hold its first, organizational meeting in mid-March to begin the longer term process of integration, with the goal of beginning the search for a permanent CEO, determining staffing requirements and locations for core services and programs.  Integration efforts are expected to continue through 2019.

“This is a historic moment for all of us,” said APSP Board Chairman Donna Williams, “as we are capitalizing on the considerable groundwork that was laid over the past few years to finally realize the enormous benefits of bringing together the two most established and effective organizations serving our industry.”

“We, APSP and NSPF, are seizing the opportunity to have a greater impact,” said NSPF President Rob Butcher. Under the new Alliance, our combined resources will allow us to amplify and more effectively promote the fun and benefits of swimming, of being in the water, pools and hot tubs; we will be able to put more resources into water safety; and we will be able to better protect the interests of all our stakeholders and members,” he said.

The leaders of both NSPF and APSP agreed that the new structure, with its “Celebrate the Water” mission, will offer greater community benefits by facilitating the expansion of swimming, water safety and related research and outreach activities aimed at introducing more people to swimming, making swimming environments safer, and keeping pools open to serve communities.

In addition, the unified organization will expand growth opportunities for aquatics professionals and businesses by promoting demand for swimming and increasing the efficient delivery of educational and training opportunities.

Finally, by speaking with a single, united advocacy voice, The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance will be better positioned to protect the interests of the industry through an unprecedented and expanded network that includes both nationwide and international alliances and relationships.

Under The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, stakeholders and members of the two founding organizations will benefit from the full array of education, training, certification, advocacy, promotion, research, grantmaking and support services currently delivered by APSP and NSPF separately, while combining infrastructures, networks, affiliations, and resources, and eliminating duplication of programs to provide the greatest value and impact.

The Pool & Hot Tub Professionals Association will be the 501(c)(6) trade organization to manage certifications, standards, volunteer workforce opportunities, awards and member services, while The Pool & Hot Tub Foundation will be the 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization to manage education, publications, research, fundraising, and grantmaking.

To assist the new Board of Directors with the integration process, APSP and NSPF have established a unification working group task force, comprised of leaders from both organizations to finalize governing documents, develop branding and logos, appoint officers and begin developing enterprise-wide business strategies and plans that will include early communications with all members and stakeholders.

The two groups have agreed there will be no immediate changes to programming, including scheduled activities of chapters, councils, and 2019 events and trade shows, and services will continue to be provided by both staffs, which will remain in place at their current locations throughout the integration process.

“We recognize this is no small task we have set for ourselves,” Caniglia said, “But we also believe APSP and NSPF have extraordinarily talented staffs, with extensive industry experience, and with their help we will move forward to pool our strengths for the benefit of all our stakeholders.”

About the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals
The Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP) is the world’s oldest and largest association representing swimming pool, hot tub, and spa manufacturers, distributors, manufacturers’ agents, designers, builders, installers, suppliers, retailers, and service professionals.  Dedicated to the growth and development of its members’ businesses and to promoting the enjoyment and safety of pools and spas, APSP offers a range of services, from professional development to advancing key legislation and regulation at the federal and local levels, to consumer outreach and public safety.  APSP is the only industry organization recognized by the American National Standards Institute to develop and promote national standards for pools, hot tubs, and spas. For more information, visit APSP.org.

About National Swimming Pool Foundation®
We believe everything we do helps people live happier and healthier lives. Whether it’s encouraging more aquatic activity, making pools safer, or keeping pools open, we believe we can make a difference. Founded in 1965 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit and located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, NSPF proceeds go to fund education, research, and to help create swimmers. Visit nspf.org or call 719-540-9119 to learn more about the NSPF family of products, programs, and services.

Source: https://www.nspf.org/es/node/596863 –   National Swimming Pool Foundation

By USA Swimming Foundation  | Wednesday, December 5, 2018 

The 2019 USA Swimming Foundation grant application for Make a Splash Local Partners is now open. Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at 5 p.m. ET.

The USA Swimming Foundation will provide more than $600,000 in grants in 2019 through two rounds of grant awards, Spring and Fall, to help Make a Splash Local Partners provide swim lessons to children in their local communities. Individual grant awards will range from $1,000 to $15,000, dependent on the service category

To be considered, applicants must be a USA Swimming Foundation Make a Splash Local Partner in good standing and provide a detailed project budget and program narrative within the grant application. The 2019 USA Swimming Foundation Grant Guidelines can be found below and the application can be found HERE. Funding will be provided to programs directly benefiting children who would not otherwise receive the opportunity to learn to swim.

Interested swim lesson providers who are not yet Make a Splash Local Partners will need to complete the Local Partner application before December 31 to be eligible to apply for 2019 grant funding. The Local Partner application can be found HERE.     READ MORE….

If you’ve tried to fill a position at your business lately, you know how challenging it can be. With a record low unemployment rates, it’s suddenly an employees’ market. Unfortunately, some job candidates are taking advantage of this fact by “ghosting” potential employers— or even companies that have offered them jobs.“Ghosting,” for those not hip to the lingo, usually refers to a situation when after an exchange of texts or even a few dates, a potential love connection suddenly disappears. No more text, no more calls, no response to your attempts to make contact — just radio silence.   In the workplace, ghosting can take many forms, including:

Not showing up for scheduled job interviews

Not returning calls or emails from the potential employer

Receiving a job offer and never responding

Accepting the job, then never showing up for workAs a small business owner, you put a lot of time and effort into hiring new employees — so it can be devastating when someone you thought was the answer to your problems disappears into thin air. What makes job candidates ghost?   READ MORE…

Source: https://smallbiztrends.com

Amanda Purcell Columbia-Greene Media  August 1, 2018 11:40 pm GREENPORT —

Two Columbia County first responders who helped save a toddler’s life while on vacation in Florida in July were honored by the Greenport Fire Department.  State Trooper Matt Colwell, of Hudson and Greenport firefighter Jessica Hayes, of Greenport, were each presented with awards for valor and pins for lifesaving efforts in a ceremony Saturday at the Greenport Fire Department, 216 Green St. “Although they were on vacation, they took action and that little girl who will now be sitting at the dinner table tonight,” Greenport Fire Chief John Onufrychuk said Tuesday. Colwell, Hayes and her two sons were relaxing by the pool at their hotel, La Quinta Inn Daytona Beach, late in the afternoon July 3 while on vacation when they noticed a little girl face-down in the water.  Hayes and Colwell were able to pull the girl, 3-year-old Zhamiyah Gibson, out of the pool. Hayes began to perform CPR while Colwell called 911. Zhamiyah was breathing on her own by the time police arrived thanks to Colwell and Hayes, according to police.  Read more…

Source: https://www.hudsonvalley360.com

Bartlett lifeguard saves boy from drowning

By Christopher HackerDaily Herald Correspondent

A lifeguard at the Bartlett Aquatic Center is being hailed as a hero after he rescued a young boy from drowning.Just before 2 p.m. Monday, the Bartlett Fire Protection District responded to a report that a child had been found unresponsive in a pool at the water park at 620 W Stearns Road, according to Assistant Fire Chief Bill Gabrenya. When first responders arrived, they found the child alert and crying thanks to the quick thinking of one young lifeguard, Gabrenya said. The staff at the water park told firefighters the lifeguard on duty was scanning the water and spotted the boy at the bottom of the pool. Gabrenya said the lifeguard jumped into the pool and pulled the child from the water, immediately performing rescue breaths and CPR. After about 45 seconds of CPR, Gabrenya said, the boy was revived and began to cry. The lifeguard’s name hasn’t been released, but Gabrenya said he appeared to be a high school-aged boy.   Read more

Source: http://www.dailyherald.com

Reporter: Nicole LaurenWriter: Emily Luft

Published: June 26, 2018 9:42 AM EDTUpdated: June 26, 2018 12:41 PM EDT-

Cape Coral looking to fill 41 lifeguard positionsWaterparks and pools are open and summer is in full swing but Cape Coral are still looking to fill dozens of lifeguard positions.Alden Marano has been a lifeguard for 6 years, a job he’s come to find extremely rewarding.“I wanted to help people, it was just natural for me,” Marano said.But it’s certainly not a job for everyone.” I feel like a lot of people might be a little shy and timid to it because it is a very big responsibility,” he said. “Peoples lives are in your hands.”Jeremy Myers, who works at Sunsplash Waterpark, agrees that responsibility can deter applicants from the job but says there are other factors.“So the biggest downfall I would have to say is being out in the heat and the weather,” Myers said. “It’s extremely hot in Southwest Florida and the humidity is always high.”  READ MORE…

Source: https://www.winknews.com

Muhammad Rameez, 18, practices rescuing a classmate, Jimmy Barrera, 16, at Grover Cleveland High School in Queens, which has earned a reputation for training many of the lifeguards who work summers at New York City pools and public beaches.  CreditVictor J. Blue for The New York Times

By Corey Kilgannon  June 18, 2018

Down at the deep end of Grover Cleveland High School’s aging four-lane pool, two students lie face down in the water, unresponsive.“O.K., get them,” barked a swim teacher, and a group of chatty teenagers in swimsuits went into rescue mode and leapt into the water.They hooked the “drowning” students — playing victims for a lifesaving drill — around the shoulders to swim them to safety. “Don’t let them go, never let them go,” yelled the teacher, Chris Sullivan, 44, as the students slid a flat wooden backboard into the water to ease one of the struggling swimmers out.   This was the scene the other day at one of the popular lifeguard training classes at Grover Cleveland, in Ridgewood, Queens — a high school that may not get the public recognition the city’s more prestigious schools enjoy, but that has the distinction of being one of the largest feeders of young lifeguards in New York City.  Equipped with its own working swimming pool, a rare commodity today in New York City public high schools, Grover Cleveland offers lifeguarding classes that lead to Red Cross certification.  Dozens of its students obtain lifeguard jobs every spring and go on to work at city beaches and pools — a remarkable feat, given that most of the students are from neighborhoods not known for turning out swimmers. Yet, the school has produced more than 300 working lifeguards in the past decade, Mr. Sullivan said.  Read more…

Source: https://www.nytimes.com