Lifeguards Train for Tobey Pond

By Jude Mead

Lifeguarding Tobey Pond requires a sense of responsibility, safety and leadership—along with, quick thinking. Josh DeCerbo, Tobey Pond supervisor for the past several years, said the role teaches important life skills and makes a difference in the community because the job of a lifeguard at a beach extends far beyond monitoring swimmers.

Lifeguards at Tobey need more hours of training and a “waterfront certification.”

“This is a lot more stringent than just being certified at a pool,” DeCerbo explained. “The classes should take place at the beach but this year due to the constant rainout on the weekends and the rarity of classes administered by the American Red Cross, it has been a bit of a nightmare for the recertification of the guards and for scheduling to keep the beach open fulltime.”
As DeCerbo explained it, Bill Houle, the instructor who provided the certification

instruction, retired and moved away two years ago, leaving no main instructor to run the courses. “He was very helpful and kind to all the lifeguards in Litchfield County. A great man,” said DeCerbo.

DeCerbo added that getting recertified is both demanding and expensive but that the town reimburses the training cost for the lifeguards and approved an increase in the hourly rate for the summer. Despite the unexpected setbacks, DeCerbo said all lifeguards will be good to go as of July 1. That’s good news for Norfolk.

Norfolk’s young lifeguards are held to the same standards as adults and must remain alert, confident, and ready to respond at a moment’s notice. It goes beyond demonstrating strong swimming skills and quick decision-making abilities. They must learn water rescue techniques and be qualified in administrating CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), first aid and be skilled in using automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

Though being a lifeguard can be rewarding, it comes with challenges—including the recent spell of 90-degree weather. Each day throughout the summer they show up with dedication and commitment to keep everyone safe at the beach. Next month look for more about these young heroes, but in the meantime, follow @tobeypondnorfolkct on Instagram for the latest on hours and the lives of the local snapping turtles.