By Andrew Coakley

FN Sports Editor

The YMCA is taking its lifeguard and water safety program to another level with the introduction of its beach front, lifeguard certification course.

The Course is set to begin on September 10.

In the past, the YMCA offered pool lifeguard certification courses, but now that course has been expanded to include beach front certification.

This will allow Bahamians interested in being lifeguards not only at hotels or at pool side, but beach lifeguards.

The course will be conducted by an international, certified, water safety and first aid CPR Instructor out of Alabama in the person of William Joseph Powers.

"This is the YMCA once again offering something more to the Grand Bahamian public and allowing Bahamians to venture into another area of occupation," said Karon Johnson, Executive Director of the YMCA.

"We want to be able to expand programs like this so that we can better serve the community of Grand Bahama in a more proficient way."

Powers is an American Red Cross Instructor and a lifeguard instructor, with a specialty in water safety.

He worked at a YMCA in Alabama and it was through that venue, Powers was able to meet the Executive Director of the YMCA after visiting Grand Bahama about two years ago.

The course will be a 38 hour certification course for all interested persons.

It will be a water front lifeguard course with a lot of in the pool instruction as well as rescue skills in the open water front.

"We will do a lot of search and rescue scenarios and a lot of things that we will go through to teach people how to perform in that kind of environment when the need arises," said Powers.

"We will do some instruction here at the YMCA and some instruction at the beach front. We will also do CPR and first aid."

Powers said that aquatic safety is important for Bahamians, particularly with the island surrounded by water.

He noted that the same situation applies to certain parts of the United States.

As a result, he said that the campaign or the main thrust will be to educate swimmers of the kind of environment they may find themselves in.

He feels that the course will be a benefit to those who take part and are certified.

" It's a great course and what it does is it serves as a foundation that one can continue to build on. On a personal level, for individuals who acquire their certification, they would continue to do in-service training," added Powers.

"With this certification, some of it needs to be renewed annually and some will need to be renewed every three years. But they will need to stay sharp and on the cutting edge of aquatic safety."

YMCA DIRECTORS – During a press conference, new Activities Director, Terry Wildgoose, not only spoke about new programs at the "Y", but also took the time to introduce some of the people who are responsible for running present YMCA Programs. They included (from left) Marvin Johnson, swimming instructor; Sensei Freeman Thurston, Karate; Karon Johnson, Executive Director of the YMCA; Joseph Powers, Lifeguard Instructor and Terry Wildgoose, Activities Director.

(Sports photo by Andrew Coakley)