Scared Stiff
[I sent this response to the editor of Aquatics International. I don't know if it will get in print so I am including it on this site as a demonstration where the ideas for removing diving boards begin. Someone other than me should be jumping all over this confused individual.]
In response to Tom Griffiths’ letter to the editor Feb
2008 regarding an article titled "Scared Stiff" International Aquatics Magazine.
I believe that Mr. Griffiths
is one of a group of people who have good intentions for the safety of pool
patrons. However his suggestion of removing a 3-meter board goes a little too
far.
He
totally confuses his argument by saying, “diving and jumping from heights is
fun and should be encouraged”. How could this be accomplished if as he suggests
“3-meter boards have no place in a recreational aquatics facility”? Then where
do 3-meter boards belong?
I read the article “Scared Stiff” and as I recall no
injury was sustained by the individual. So now in this case we are discussing a
“what if” scenario. The “what if” is falling to the deck which didn’t happen. I
agree we don’t want people injured but are we to allow one person’s actions to
remove a 3-meter board for all the other users?
If we are to encourage risk taking then why does he
suggest toning down or eliminating the risk? If risk removal is the objective
then he might suggest removing the water from pools so people don’t drown or
not have shallow water or ladders to exit the water in any aquatics facilities.
Maybe he should be discussing the education of the patrons and not the removal
of equipment. Distractions and behavior are the real causes for injury. People
do dumb things so how do we protect them from their own stupidity?
He mentions protective spindles, which I assume to mean a
tube of some sort surrounding the patron as they climb the ladder. If that is
his suggested solution, it was stated years ago that would cause more serious
injury than if it weren’t there. Vertical ladders are not as safe as angled
ladders. However a stairway system as he suggests is the safest by far.
I have included a link with pictures to demonstrate a
stairway installed in a multi-use outdoor recreational facility in my
area. http://www.oocities.org/woras.geo/Stairway.htm
It was placed on that site
11/17/2001 but written before then.