Greater Houston Pool Management, Inc.

PRESEASON NEWS ARTICLE 2010

Greater Houston Pool Management, Inc. was founded on three guiding principles: safety, customer service, and cleanliness. With safety as our # 1 priority, we spend a great deal of time, energy, and money making sure that every GHPMI team member has the appropriate tools to be successful. We also feel it’s important that when you visit the swimming pool, you are greeted by a smiling, friendly, and professional lifeguard team. Equally as important to us is the overall cleanliness of your facility. Clear and properly maintained pool water, clean and pleasant smelling restrooms, and a debris free pool deck are qualities that top our expectation list.

To help ensure that your visit to the pool is a safe one, we are excited to announce the addition of the lifejacket loaner program. Because GHPMI feels so strongly about this program, we offer it to your community at our expense. We will provide your swimming pool a station where lifejackets will be kept. These lifejackets will be available for you and your community members to check out and use during your visit to the pool. The station will be equipped with a range of lifejacket sizes, which should accommodate the needs of most size children. While the availability of a lifejacket should not replace learning to swim, we feel that this program will aid you and your child as they transition into a more water safe individual. We understand that this transition happens at different ages for children, therefore, feel it is necessary to offer a program that reaches out to several age groups. Please join us this summer as we look forward to providing your community a safer and more educated swimming environment.

The GHPMI Activities Department is excited to offer your community programs that will help enhance your family’s summer experience.   GHPMI provides a variety of programs, such as: group and private learn to swim classes, Guard Start, water aerobics, pool parties, and more.  For a detailed list of what is available at your facility please visit us at www.takeaswimlesson.com for classes, and www.haveapoolparty.com for pool parties. If something is not offered at your facility, please let us know.  We make every effort to accommodate all requests. We want your visit to the pool to be a safe and positive experience.

We at GHPMI feel that communication plays a very important role to the overall success of the summer swim season. Every year we receive compliments on our proactive and preventative approach. By taking preventative measures, we feel that you and your guests will have a sense of real comfort while visiting your swimming facility. We understand that communication is a two way street and appreciate any and all questions, comments, and/or concerns you may have throughout the summer. Therefore, please don’t hesitate to contact our office at anytime, 713.771.7665. You may also visit us online at www.greaterhoustonpool.com. Further, please take the time to introduce yourself to your lifeguard team. We truly enjoy getting to know the members we so proudly serve.

Finally, allow us to start the swim season off on a positive note by providing some valuable safety reminders. It is very important to remember that ultimately you, as the parent/guardian, are the first line of defense for a safe trip to the swimming pool. It is imperative that your non-swimming or newly swimming children are always within an arms length of a parent/guardian. With your support, we are confident that the 2010 swim season will be a safe and positive experience for all.

• Parents must closely supervise their children at all times. Remember, it only takes seconds for a child to drown.
• Do not dive in areas marked “NO DIVING”. Nearly 90 percent of all spinal injuries occur in the shallow end of the pool.

• Breath holding games can be very dangerous and may cause cardiac arrhythmia or seizures. Games like who can hold their breath the longest and swimming the longest distance underwater should be avoided at all times.
• Don’t allow children to play with or around the main drain. The main drain suction can be very powerful and has been known to cause severe injuries and in some cases death.
• The safety of a child in the baby pool is the responsibility of the parent or guardian. The lifeguards will always enforce the pool rules throughout the facility, but children who cannot swim must have an adult within arms reach at all times. The same rule applies even if the child is wearing a floatation device.
• Define a safe zone for your children where they can always touch the bottom. One of the most common saves a lifeguard must make is when a swimmer strays to an area that is too deep for them to stand.
• Access rules to the facility will be strongly enforced and are the responsibility of each member to understand and follow. It is a very awkward and uncomfortable situation for everyone when a lifeguard must ask a member to go back home to get the appropriate access tag.
• Remember that there are several different types of people who like to use the pool throughout the summer. Both young and old, everyone wants to have a good time.
• If you should ever have a question about the pool rules, ask a lifeguard or manager. It is better to be safe then sorry!
• Help educate your community members and their guests on water safety. A team approach towards safety will offer a safer swimming environment.

The GHPMI Team is excited to be servicing your community for the 2010 swim season. We look forward to successfully operating your swimming facility, while offering a safe and relaxing environment.