The City owned and operated Wave Waterpark has been recognized by the lifeguard agency, StarGuard ELITE, with a “5-Star” aquatic safety award for the 2018 summer season. This is the twelfth year the Wave Waterpark has received this high honor. The award is based on unannounced audit evaluations of lifeguard performance, skills and scenarios, attraction dispatch performance, facility and operations, and management.
“We are pleased to receive this safety honor again this year,” said Therron Dieckmann, City of Vista Director of Recreation & Community Services. “The entire Wave staff embodies the idea of setting the standard in aquatic safety. Visitors to the park receive the highest degree of swimmer protection currently available for the aquatic industry.”
Lifeguards ensure the safety of the pool and are trained to recognize and respond to incidents, contact 9-1-1, and take care of the needs of the individual(s) until the firefighter/paramedic team arrives and provides a higher standard of care, if needed. Lifeguard coverage is about 27 per day and in addition to this there are 10 leadership staff positions who are also on duty and trained at a higher skill set. The coverage on stand ranges from a minimum of 8 lifeguards to 15.
“We are committed to maintaining a safe environment for our guests,” said Angela Palasik, Wave Waterpark Manager. “Our lifeguard staff consistently exceeds the expected standards of these audits. They are vigilant and passionate about what they do and we are very proud of them.”
The Wave Waterpark will open for the 2019 summer season Memorial weekend on May 25. The Wave Waterpark lifeguards are constantly paying attention to the safety of the park’s visitors. Wave’s lifeguards are certified each year through an internationally recognized program which requires over 50 hours of extensive training. The rigorous instruction is designed to provide a high quality team for the Wave’s summer season. An additional four hours of monthly training are required throughout the season. Lifeguards selected to teach swim lessons or serve as camp counselors undergo additional training.
Each year, during the Wave’s season, the outside agency, StarGuard ELITE audits the lifeguard team. These are random, unannounced, and include undercover videotaped observations and skills assessment. The focus on safety training has resulted in the waterpark’s lifeguard team receiving the highest “ELITE” rating for the past twelve years.
