MONMOUTHSHIRE County Council’s leisure service, MonLeisure, is set to improve its service to the public by training its lifeguards to use pool extraction boards, a newly-introduced innovation which will enhance safety.

Similar to spinal boards and complete with neck braces,

the pool extraction boards are deployed to rescue casualties from swimming pools. 

This new product was released in the summer and allows for swift extraction of patients from swimming pools, requiring fewer people than previously while causing less stress to the casualty.

MonLeisure’s 14 trainer/assessors will instruct more than 50 staff holding the Royal Lifesaving Society’s National Pool Lifeguard qualification to operate the pool extraction board. 

The council is one of the first local authorities in the

UK to provide this training and boards will be made available within the county’s four leisure centres early next year.

County Councillor Bob Greenland, cabinet member with responsibility for leisure said: “We regard safety in swimming pools as paramount and take every precaution to ensure that accidents are kept to an absolute minimum. 

“Consequently, serious incidents occur very rarely, but when they do we must be prepared to act swiftly and professionally. 

“I therefore welcome this training and the introduction of the pool extraction board to each of our pools.”