WASHINGTON — Storms this week left a lot of swimmers confused after employees at D.C.’s public pools pulled them out of indoor pools.
“If we do close, there is lightning in the area,” not because pools are unsafe, says Tyrell Lashley, aquatics director for the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation.
He says all D.C. pools are grounded and up to code. But instead of leaving it up to each pool, new technology — using satellite imagery — helps streamline the process of figuring out when both indoor and outdoor facilities pull swimmers out of the water.
Gone are the days of guessing how far away lightning strikes have hit.
“So when there’s a confirmed lightning strike within five miles of any pool, the pool gets notified electronically within three seconds of the strike,” Lashley says.
He says after an assessment a few months ago, DCPR sought advice from national organizations such as the American Red Cross and the National Lightning Safety Institute. The city decided to play it safe regarding the safety of indoor swimmers during a storm.
“They’ve advised us to be on the safe side,” Lashley says. “We should suspend operations because lightning can travel. If [the pool is] grounded or not, lightning can jump from one point to the next.”
By contrast, Judy Stiles, with Montgomery County’s recreation department, says it does not stop indoor swimming during lightning strikes, unless the facility loses electricity.
