SALT LAKE COUNTY – The heat and the Fourth of July holiday have water park managers bracing for a flood of customers.
On Memorial Day, managers at the Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center estimate they had 3,700 visitors on just that day. Executive Director Patti Hansen says they expect to see nearly that amount every day this week. So, they have around 250 employees at the ready, which includes a lot of lifeguards. She says, “In the summer, we gear up with 120 lifeguards on staff.”
They’re required to have a guard at every single body of water in their park, even the ones that aren’t being used at any given moment. Hansen adds, “[Lifeguards] have 40 hours of classroom that they have to go through in addition to practical exercises to certify for a lifeguard.”
They also beef up their security for their busy season. She says off-duty officers are on hand through the summer. “They’re officers, but, we use them as security guards at our facility to ensure everyone’s safety,” Hansen says.
Officials with Seven Peaks Resort in Provo says their Lazy River attractions is closed while they replace and inspect chlorine sensors. One malfunctioned and sent extra chlorine into the water for a short time. However, the rest of the park is open.