Furious with local swimming pool

[Ieatcake]

Very large pool, power cut in the middle of children's lessons. The rest of the building had emergency lights that kicked in a second later apart from the pool. Dozens of parents rushing from the mezzanine level and using their phones to check on the children. Staff took several minutes to locate a few dim torches and didn't have a. Clear evaction plan.

Aibu to think that just isn't acceptable? The gym, reception, studio changing rooms all had emergency lights but not the pool and it was pitch black. Will they have broken the law? A mad adrenaline rush for everyone!

Snowflake is a shitty term and I immediately lose respect for anyone who doles it out.

Generally the younger dc tend to have their lessons earlier - OP hadn't put a time, not unreasonable assumption to make (still not pitch black at that time but...)
Non swimmers / young dc tend to be not all swimming across the pool together in lessons unless there are adults in the water with them, so the swimming teacher says "Everybody climb out and sit on the side" - they aren't scattered all over a pool like in a free play session, surely? For the one or two children that dont get out, or the one that is halfway across the pool, there is the swimming teacher (who will be lifeguard trained) plus the other lifeguard still there, plus of course, that child might well just tootle along with their pool noodle and not panic.

I think everyone agrees that clearly something went wrong here, and that it should be investigated and put right, but it's the dramatic language some posters are using that is unnecessary.

It's not good no, not at all, it would scare the shit out of me let alone a child! And those saying you're over reacting are lying to say they wouldn't be at least a bit annoyed if it had happened to them. Bloody dangerous

You are right to be concerned if the pool was plunged into darkness. It's bad enough at home if there's a sudden power cut. Never mind in a swimming pool. If it's a Council run pool you should get in touch with them first and raise your concerns.

@BackforGood your being ridiculous. It was a large open noisey pool the children were swiming widths with staggered starts. It was chaotic and disorientating so not easy to just say get to the side and get out! How exactly are they going to see what children got out? You make it sound so easy but it was nothing of the sort.

And yes it is pitch black at then, it starts to go dark from 5ish.

Backfirgood the OP states that there are two instructors for lots of children so I would suspect they are probably operating at a 1:10/20 ratio by the sounds of things rather than the usual 1:4/6 ratio most clubs I know use. Therefore it’s unlikely the instructors were in a position to find the children in the pitch black. The instructors didn’t appear to be aware of the safety procedures for this pool, taking time to find torches etc. I would be locating another swim school after this.

Its getting dark here at 4pm even earlier lately due to weather so pool would easily be black at 4.30 round here.

I'm a fairly relaxed parent. But the combination of water, darkness and poor swimmers in a chaotic situation sounds dangerous to me too. I'd certainly ask for reassurance that emergency lighting will be installed.

I would be really angry and quite upset tbh. Neither of my 9 year olds are strong swimmers - which is why they have lessons. One in particular is nervous about being in the water and I could almost guarantee he would panic. Likely he would have been in the shallow bit but still.

There isn't another swim school in the area, but it does make 1 on 1 lessons much more appealing. My ds luckily didn't see it as a big issue, but I doubt all felt the same.

I would have freaked out. YANBU

You're not being in the slightest bit unreasonable. I'd have panicked if my kids had been in the pool and I'd been unable to see to reach them.

I always carry a small powerful light, Smith & Wesson .38 snub nose revolver, chemical hand/foot warmers this time of year, knife, small tool for breaking windows, wallet and hairbrush and make-up. Always be prepared I say.

The pool in our local health club / gym (in a big city) is underground, and has no natural light.

The OP said repeatedly: it was pitch black / dark. Official ‘nightfall’ in Edinburgh today was 17.44. Following sunset at 16.13. A few minutes later in London.

So I’m not sure why you are badgering on , BackForGood, making assumptions and disbelieving the OP.

CherryConker: it isn’t the OPs job to work out whether it was absence or failure of emergency lighting, just to report that there was no light.

May be worth querying their risk assessments and plans for evacuating the pool, and confirming it includes plans on how to do this if there are swimming lessons going on (as opposed to sneak swim, which will mostly be families or lone adults), and also includes the possibility of evacuating in the dark.

And of course, checking that this isn’t just neatly set out on paper, but that staff are aware and trained in what to do.

I would ignore the advice to carry a snub nose revolver, 1. They don’t really help in the event of a power cut, 2. You are quite likely to be arrested if you turn up to your kids swimming lesson with a gun. I would also say that some of the other items suggested by Charolais probably wouldn’t have been helpful in the event of a power cut ( Charolais appears to be confusing a power cut with some form of zombie apocalypse)

That's really poor.
The lifeguard should at least have a fuck-off big torch by their station if emergency lights aren't possible.

Makes me feel quite panicky thinking about it.

I would SHAT myself if I was in a pool and the lights went off, no idea why, I’m a competent swimmer, but that makes me feel all funny

YANBU - sounds dangerous.

To be fair Nancy, there probably would be power cuts in the event of a Zombie Apocalypse.

I carry: Swiss Army Knife, torch, ‘space blanket ‘ and, in the car, snow shovel (winter only), bottled water, energy bars, National Trust Sticker.

Everywhere, Division? Or do you just keep it in the car?

My National Trust Windscreen Sticker?
Everywhere. You can’t be too careful.

(In reality, Except when ZA* is forecast, I only carry my Swiss Army Knife in my bag. And even that had to be left when I have to visit government buildings )

• Zombie Apocalypse

It's weird the pool didn't also have emergency lights but a bit OTT to expect them to have an evacuation plan in the event the power randomly went out. Evacuation plans are for real emergencies.

Because a pool full of children learning to swim and thrown into the middle of a pitch black power cut isn't serious?!

I can't even believe that comment

Also I'll add that in the event of a zombie apocalypse,I'm fairly certain there would be power cuts, the majority of the trained staff who could rectify a power cut would most likely be dead

I think it is important to remember that no one was injured or worse. It needs to be taken seriously and followed up but the emphasis should be on making sure it doesn't happen again, not on attributing blame and firefighting piles of angry complaint letters.