What a Great Name for Pool Cleaning Company – What’s your pool company name? //
What a Great Name for Pool Cleaning Company – What’s your pool company name?
// As webmaster for the Southern California Public Pool Operators Association I am involved in some great projects. Recently the “Member At Large” Pete McJunkin had a great idea to start recording the speakers and posting them for the world to see. This is an awesome idea and one that other pool operator groups should [...]
As webmaster for the Southern California Public Pool Operators Association I am involved in some great projects. Recently the “Member At Large” Pete McJunkin had a great idea to start recording the speakers and posting them for the world to see. This is an awesome idea and one that other pool operator groups should follow. The cost for this project was just under $200 for the basic camera and a few memory cards.
How can you do this for your organization?
- Buy a simple Camera & Memory Cards
- Get a Photo Release
- Encode your video in Flash
- Upload you video to a sharing site
- Post your video online
- Promote your video
- Shoot more video’s
I have been an Amateur Radio Operator for 13yrs and have constantly been amazed at how many thousands of dollars agencies and facilities spend on their two way radio’s that are used for just the basic tower to headquarters communication. Below we will explore a low budget option for basic radio communication. I understand that [...]
I have been an Amateur Radio Operator for 13yrs and have constantly been amazed at how many thousands of dollars agencies and facilities spend on their two way radio’s that are used for just the basic tower to headquarters communication. Below we will explore a low budget option for basic radio communication.
I understand that there are times when closed private communication is a must, but for everyday use and abuse by staff the option below is awesome!
Marine Band Radio’s
We have recently moved our facility to using waterproof marine radio’s. They are inexpensive (under $200) and very durable. They also are completely waterproof. The brand we have been using is Standard Horizon and they have been great at fixing any issues even when dropped from an 8 foot tower onto concrete.
8 top things to think about when creating your radio plan:
- These are made for marine communication so don’t expect long range on land.
- Also use them on low power an you should get about 1/2 mile with no problem.
- Make sure the channel you use is not assigned to emergencies, channel guide included with radio.
- Keep communications professional since these are public frequencies just like family radios.
- Get a base station installed so that headquarters is never short a radio.
- Plan to replace radios once every two years.
- Buy an extra battery pack that uses over the shelf batteries so you can power after a super long day or extensive field work without charging.
- Buy the accidental protection plan, usually 10% of the product but worth it’s weight in gold.
Example of Radio:
So let’s get down to the bottom line, how much do these radio’s cost: Around $100-$300 depending on brand, and whether it is a hand held or a base station.
Click Here to support the Aquatic Professional by buying from Amazon.com Standard Horizon STD-HX370S Handheld Marine VHF Radio
There are literally tons of other radio options and inventions, take a look at this video. Please leave a comment below with a link to a picture or video of what you use and how you use it get your lifeguard communication done right!
If you have a topic you would like an article on please e-mail it to info@theaquaticprofessional.com
Discussion on water proof walkie talkies at Aquatics International AIConnect http://aiconnect.ning.com/forum/topics/lifeguard-walkietalkies
Here is a link to a great article Jim Wheeler wrote regarding our legacy of lifeguards, check it out on Aquatics International Connect Is our sport of aquatics getting more coverage, the answer is yes, yes, yes. Check out SwimmingWorld.tv site and watch live swimming action at the Mission Viejo Swim Meet of Champions LiveSwim.net [...]
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Here is a link to a great article Jim Wheeler wrote regarding our legacy of lifeguards, check it out on Aquatics International Connect
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Is our sport of aquatics getting more coverage, the answer is yes, yes, yes. Check out SwimmingWorld.tv site and watch live swimming action at the Mission Viejo Swim Meet of Champions LiveSwim.net posted tons of Underwater Hockey Video, so go check out the footage HERE
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Check out some great coverage of this week on Swimnetwork.com Where Brandy Sherrer interviews Keenan Robinson. We have embedded it below
1. This week Rob from Robaquatics.com released his big plan for an open water tour. This guy is crazy and yet is brilliant making each and every one of us want to check the block daily. Read up on the his awesome plans http://robaquatics.com/2010/02/big-announcement-rob-aquatics-summer-open-water-tour.html 2. I always wonder about the struggling athlete, the athlete that [...]
1. This week Rob from Robaquatics.com released his big plan for an open water tour. This guy is crazy and yet is brilliant making each and every one of us want to check the block daily. Read up on the his awesome plans http://robaquatics.com/2010/02/big-announcement-rob-aquatics-summer-open-water-tour.html
2. I always wonder about the struggling athlete, the athlete that works hard to not make it by hundredths of a second. If you want an article on that you have come to the wrong place. This week you need to think top of the game, the one that make the cut by a hundredth and get that Golden opportunity. Check out Gold Medal Mel’s blog for more http://www.goldmedalmel.typepad.com/mel/2010/02/apolo-ohno-turns-olympic-medals-into-endorsement-gold-.html
3. Ai Connect has a good post this week that asks a very important question, are you exclusive? Check it out here and leave your comments http://aiconnect.ning.com/profiles/blogs/are-you-exclusive
4. Check out this inside track on the NCSA from my friend and legendary Coach BOB Gillett http://www.swimmingworld.tv/split-time/2010/2/27/split-time-with-bob-gillett.html
Have a great week!
-Chris Lundie
The Aquatic Professional
Recently Aquatics International started aiconnect a place where aquatic professionals from all over the world can come together and connect through a micro social networking solution called ning.com At first I was wondering would this work, but within a few weeks of me finding the site the membership climbed to over 500 members currently at [...]
Recently Aquatics International started aiconnect a place where aquatic professionals from all over the world can come together and connect through a micro social networking solution called ning.com
At first I was wondering would this work, but within a few weeks of me finding the site the membership climbed to over 500 members currently at 511 members with 100o’s more that will join as they find it. This is exactly what Aquatics has been waiting for and is the future of information exchange and hot topic discussion. I suggest you join, because no matter what it will engage you, make you think about your profession and at times reinvigorate you to try new things and develop new strategies.
In the past few weeks I have done an informal poll on what the people think of the site, pretty much everybody loves it, but there a small number that worry about the topics of discussion. They worry that many aquatic professionals are discussing topics that could come back to haunt them. I agree that we need to maintain professionalism at all times and if topics are of a highly sensitive nature then those topics should be discussed in private forums, or face to face. I don’t think this is something to stress about but, do believe that we should be careful everywhere we go on the internet. Basically think before you write.
I have a few questions for you the reader:
1. Are open social networks good in a professional environment?
2. Should only closed networks such as the CPRS Aquatics Section exists to protect the operator from liability and public view?
3. Should any of this information be exchanged in an electronic form?
Please leave your comments below.
Chris Lundie
The Aquatic Professional
I have embedded this video to make a point. If we were as persistent in our career as this guy is on his bike…… Nothing could stop you! Get our there and practice you career as an Aquatic Professional until you succeed, set your goals high, and keep raising them higher. -Chris The Aquatic Professional
I have embedded this video to make a point. If we were as persistent in our career as this guy is on his bike…… Nothing could stop you! Get our there and practice you career as an Aquatic Professional until you succeed, set your goals high, and keep raising them higher.
-Chris
The Aquatic Professional
Every year in September drownings occur. Just today I was reading about a two year old in our community that drowned in his backyard pool. What made front page news was relegated to a one line blog post from the local radio station. How does thi snot shock a community? How does this not make [...]
Every year in September drownings occur. Just today I was reading about a two year old in our community that drowned in his backyard pool. What made front page news was relegated to a one line blog post from the local radio station. How does thi snot shock a community? How does this not make front page news?
When I think of water safety education I always think beginning of Summer as I am sure most of us do. It is time for us to re-analyze and strategize for safety education ever day of our career. I am calling all of you to action. Make water safety a priority! Make it the most important part of your career.
Below I have listed some simple ways to promote water safety. I challenge you to not just promote it, but take ever opportunity you can to educate those below you, your peers, and all the levels above you. Make sure that you find ways to educate everyone you can. Aquatic Professionals do this all across the land and we need more people doing it.
- Hang a water safety poster for you and staff
- Show make a quick top ten water safety tips video to play in your facility lobby and on your website
- Join a pool operator group with an extensive water safety program
- List resources on your website
- Hand out water safety flier to everyone in your community
- Create a public education campaing where you visit schools or community groups to give talks and water safety demonstrations
- Have water safety topics prior to each swim lesson.
I am sure there are tons more so if you have them please drop them in the comments below.
-The Aquatic Professional
Well the Summer for 2009 is slowly coming to a close. Don’t forget that this is the time when many Aquatic Professionals get lazy and start to drop the ball. This is the time when you need to really step up and think about ways to improve next year. Here are 5 ideas for how [...]
Well the Summer for 2009 is slowly coming to a close. Don’t forget that this is the time when many Aquatic Professionals get lazy and start to drop the ball. This is the time when you need to really step up and think about ways to improve next year. Here are 5 ideas for how you can de-brief in a sense and really get yourself on the right track for next year.
- Get Staff input. Have staff fill out an anonymous questionnaire about your newly implemented ideas (if you didn’t have any then get cracking, every year you should have a few). Make sure they know they should be honest but also think from the perspective of what is best for the organization/facility. You don’t want there personal rants, belive me I have been there before.
- Review your feedback. Review your comment cards, lesson evaluation, e-service requests or etc. for clues on what is and is not working.
- Review your problems or challenges. Review your log books and personal log file to look for patterns. Sometimes a simple problem fix has taken you hours to figure out. Fix it so next year you have one less headache.
- Analyze your budget. In these hard time analyze you budget and be prepared with the numbers from this year. When the economy takes a hit sometimes the numbers show marked growth in Aquatics. be prepared to justify why you exist.
- Build an end of season report. This can look like a massive document but break it down into very small simple areas. Make sure there are pictures of that year and very simple graphs showing growth or changes in trends, programming staffing or otherwise. THIS IS GOLD to upper level management and must be done to sell yourself as a true Aquatic Professional.
-Chris
The Aquatic Professional
We summer is in full swing for everyone in Aquatics. This is the time of year when staff are ready to go and ready to respond when needed. This is in my opinion the sweet spot in aquatics. Just a reminder stay vigilant and keep your in-service going strong. It is very important and vital [...]
We summer is in full swing for everyone in Aquatics. This is the time of year when staff are ready to go and ready to respond when needed. This is in my opinion the sweet spot in aquatics.
Just a reminder stay vigilant and keep your in-service going strong. It is very important and vital to everyone in the Aquatics World.
-Chris
