Exciting news has hit the lifeguard community as the Ruth Lee Pool Rescue Manikin receives official approval for use in the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) brand new National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) ‘Gen 10’. This milestone marks a significant step towards creating more realistic and efficient lifeguard training and assessments.
At Ruth Lee, we’re incredibly passionate about drowning prevention and supporting the water rescue community as much as we can. Our commitments perfectly align with those of the RLSS UK, whose mission is to reduce drowning incidents in the UK, and that’s why we joined the RLSS UK as Water Safety Partners and continue to drive the message of water safety in the UK and beyond.
The inclusion of the Adult Pool Rescue Manikin in the June 2023 lifeguard qualification update marks a significant step forward in our mutual quest to create better, more confident lifeguards.
Let’s delve into the journey of this innovative manikin and how it’s revolutionising training for lifeguards in the UK and around the world.
From Concept to Reality
After talking with a frustrated Canadian lifeguard, who was unhappy with the disjointed training processes, Ruth Lee started to create a solution. Very early on, we consulted with the RLSS UK as leading lifeguard training experts and we started to develop the Pool Rescue Manikin, addressing the need for a more realistic training tool. The manikin was designed to both sink AND float (which was a challenge, but we did it!), simulating the behaviour of a real unconscious casualty.
Unlike the traditional orange plastic dummy that lacks limbs, the new manikin presented itself as a much more authentic casualty in many ways.
Collaborative Efforts
During the development process, RLSS played a pivotal role in advising on the manikin’s design and testing prototypes. This collaboration ensured that the manikin met the rigorous standards and requirements for lifeguard training.
The result was a versatile and lifelike training tool that closely emulated real-life rescue situations.
Jo Talbot, RLSS UK’s Commercial Director said,
“The Ruth Lee swimming pool manikin is a revolutionary innovation in how lifeguard training is conducted. It provides a more realistic experience for trainees with the ability to practice a variety of techniques, without needing to switch between different equipment or live volunteers, this ultimately leads to greater confidence, when carrying out a real rescue”
Transforming Lifeguard Training Worldwide
Since its launch at the RLSS UK conference in 2018, the Pool Rescue Manikin has revolutionised lifeguard training worldwide. Its impact was particularly evident during the pandemic when it allowed essential training to continue with fewer volunteers and adherence to social distancing guidelines.
The manikin’s versatility and realism have been recognised in many different forms, from earning it the prestigious MVP Product of the Year award in the 2022 Aquatics International magazine, to being chosen to train all of the lifeguards at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, as well as seriously impressing many water rescue professionals worldwide!
Approved for National Pool Lifeguard Qualification
Now, the adult Pool Rescue Manikin has achieved another significant milestone by being approved for use in the new RLSS National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) ‘Gen 10’ update. In section 2.8 of the qualification, states:
“1 submersible rescue manikin must be available to facilitate training and assessment. Adult Ruth Lee Pool Rescue Manikin (child not permitted) is suitable to be used as a submersible manikin.”
Seamless Simulated Rescues
Section 2.6 of the qualification approves the use of the manikin for training and assessment of deep water recovery. This involves retrieving the manikin from the pool bottom, executing turns, towing, and performing a two-person assisted lift from the pool.
This approval means that students can now complete seamless simulated rescues without the need to switch between a manikin and live volunteer for deep water recoveries.
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Realism and Confidence
The inclusion of the Pool Rescue manikin for deep water recovery training is known to significantly enhance the lifeguard’s overall training experience.
Martin Suzan, Director of Swim Safety, the company trusted to carry our training with the Lifeguards at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, said;
“Before training for these games some of the lifeguards had never trained with the Ruth Lee Pool Rescue Manikin. Some of the smaller team members found it a little daunting to begin with when they felt the weight of the manikin on the dry land. But after a few goes they realised they did have the ability to rescue the full-bodied manikin from the bottom of the pool and felt much more confident in their abilities. “
Live Volunteers Not as Realistic
Although using live volunteers is the usual practice among lifeguards, it’s not always the most realistic way to simulate an unconscious casualty. They tend to inadvertently impact the realism of simulations, such as moving their arms to protect or assist themselves, as well as their natural reflex to keep themselves afloat when being towed.
With the manikin, lifeguards will gain invaluable experience in retrieving unconscious swimmers from the bottom of the pool and towing them to safety, where only correct technique will shine, resulting in better, faster, and safer rescues for both the casualty and the lifeguard.
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The approval of the Ruth Lee Adult Pool Rescue Manikin in the new RLSS NPLQ is a game-changer for the lifeguard community. The collaboration between ourselves and RLSS has resulted in a lifelike training tool that enhances the skills and confidence of lifeguards.
With the manikin’s realistic features and ability to simulate deep water recoveries seamlessly, lifeguards will be better prepared to handle real-life emergencies, ultimately contributing to the mission of reducing drowning incidents in the UK and beyond…