DPR Media Contact:
Brian Armstead, (202) 746-2092, [email protected]
(WASHINGTON, DC) – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more than 3,500 people drown each year in non-boating related accidents. Many are children, and many are minorities, where African American children age 10-12 drown in swimming pools at rates ten times higher than whites of the same age. As the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) prepares for the upcoming swimming pool season, it wants swimmers across DC, Maryland and Virginia to be safe and stay alive.
Tyrell Lashley, DPR’s Director of Aquatics and Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE), is available for interviews on how to keep families safe at the pool or at the beach. Lashley is also an instructor-trainer for the International Lifeguard Training Program (ILTP) and a licensed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). DPR utilizes the ILTP to certify lifeguards. This program has seen continued success and has achieved "zero" drownings year after year. Lashley is regarded as a Subject Matter Expert and trainer for many municipal and private organizations around the country. At DPR, Lashley is responsible for the operations and programs of the District’s 50 aquatic facilities. Since his arrival in April 2014, Lashley has made dramatic improvements to DPR’s lifeguard training program, program enhancements and offerings, investment in professional development, and aligned standard operating procedures with industry best practices.
Tyrell Lashley will also be available to talk about DPR’s push to hire a full complement of lifeguards before the summer swim season. Before Memorial Day weekend, the traditional opening date for DC pools, DPR needs to hire and train an additional 200 lifeguards to help keep DC residents safe.
“Safety is first, last and always the priority of DPR in the pool and on the pool deck areas. We want dedicated people on our team who will take on the responsibility to keep our pools and aquatic facilities safe for all that use them,” said Lashley.
If you know how to swim and would like to be considered as a lifeguard, please join Lashley and the DPR Aquatics Team on Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 at Turkey Thicket Aquatics Center, 1100 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington DC from 10-2 pm for DPR’s Aquatics Hiring Fair. At the Fair, over 200 summer lifeguard positions will be available.
For more information on lifeguard positions, please visit:
About DPR
The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) provides quality urban recreation and leisure services for residents and visitors to the District of Columbia. DPR supervises and maintains area parks, community facilities, swimming pools and spray parks, and neighborhood recreation centers. The agency also coordinates a wide variety of recreation and educational programs including sports leagues, youth development, therapeutic recreation, aquatic programming, outdoor adventure, camping, and senior citizen activities. Adaptive programs and facilities are available for persons with disabilities.
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