Cypress Cove Family Aquatic Park staff receives Five-Star Award

WOODRIDGE – Woodridge Park District’s Cypress Cove Family Aquatic Park earned a five-star award for the risk management audit of the 2014 season.

The Starfish Aquatics Institute (SAI) awarded the park district’s water park a five-star award following an unannounced risk management audit on July 6.

Swimming facilities are tested on a surprise basis with the auditor hiding outside of the facility, secretly videotaping the lifeguards. While the guards supervise the pool from their chairs, the auditor evaluates and scores the guards’ performances of scanning of the facility.

Once the hidden audit is completed, the auditor’s presence is announced and the auditor then selects lifeguards to respond to mock emergency scenarios. Scenarios tested on July 6 were a bee sting with an allergic reaction, a suspected spinal injury and unresponsive drowning victim.

Cypress Cove staff who were part of the audit include: Kimmy Grimmer, Mary Prasnikar, Rebecca Ridderhoff, Alexandra Hansen, Brian Mejdrech, Robert Mara, Elizabeth Johnson, Alex Tokarski, Kristen Paulius, Matt Tokarski and Eric McAleer.

The Starfish Aquatics Institute’s StarGuard Lifeguard Certification Program provides pool, water park and restricted waterfront lifeguards skills exceeding nationally recognized standards, according to a news release. Using an integrated curriculum of emergency skills, StarGuard lifeguards are trained to protect life or prevent further injury until emergency medical personnel arrive, the release states.

Cypress Cove Family Aquatic Park is a facility of the Woodridge Park District and is located at 8301 S. Janes Ave. Visit www.cypresscove.org for more information about the water park.