Plains creates pool board

A Plains pool board was officially established last week in an effort to make the operation of the E.L. Johnson Memorial Pool more efficient this year.

Five community members volunteered to be on the newly formed committee last Monday at City Hall, where the town's newest certified lifeguard trainers offered to help get this year's lifeguards trained. Seth Gibbs, Lyle Fisher and Matt Fielders completed a 21 1/2-hour Red Cross training session in Missoula the previous Sunday to become trainers for the Plains pool lifeguards.

Fielders and Fisher also volunteered to be part of the newly created pool board, which also includes Carla Kinzie, Plains Councilman John Sheridan, and Bruce Newton of the town's public works staff. Kinzie has also been hired as the pool office manager and will do the scheduling of the lifeguards and the swim programs, such as lap swimming, swimming lessons, and aerobic swim.

Gibbs, Fielders and Fisher will be providing lifeguard training on June 7, 8, and 9. All three have experience with rescue operations. Fisher is a certified paramedic with the Plains Ambulance Service and the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire District. Gibbs is an EMT and is also with both the ambulance service and fire district. Fielders is a firefighter with the Town of Plains Volunteer Fire Department. The class they'll be giving will be a combination of online and hands-on training. Fisher said they'll be in the pool every day. This is the first time that the town has used its own residents to get certified in order to certify its lifeguards. Gibbs wants to check on the equipment and gear for the lifeguards. He'd like to see that the town purchases an automated external defibrillator - AED - specifically for the pool. Emmett said they have bought some new equipment, such as a backboard.

Although the town has had informal groups to handle pool operations, this is the first time an official board has been assembled, said Mayor Joel Banham, who suggested the board. As of last week, only six people - three boys and three girls, all 15-year-olds - applied for lifeguard positions, according to Cathy Emmett, the town clerk, who attended the meeting. She said they'd like to have 10-12 more lifeguards, which covers the Glenn E. Hadley Wading Pool. Newton said that Thompson Falls plans to send around 10 people for the June training. The pool opens for the public on June 10.

The board discussed the lifeguards' pay and agreed on $10.90 an hour for this year and more if they return next season. Anyone interested in a lifeguard job can contact the clerk at City Hall by calling 406-826-3411.

The three trainers plan to continue training the new lifeguards even after they're certified. Gibbs said they'll provide the town with an assessment of each kid's capabilities. Fisher said he plans on doing station checks to periodically check up on the new lifeguards while they're working. The town is looking into registering with the Red Cross to become a licensed training center, said Emmett.

Newton said he'll probably start filling the pool with its 360,000 gallons of water in mid May. The pool's budget is $62,000 a year, according to Banham, who said he was very impressed with the three men who completed the instructor course. "Their community spirit is energizing and indicative of everyone that has been involved in the pool board," said Banham. "This, I believe, is the positive advantage of involving the volunteer emergency service agencies in the pool program. The idea is to put the operation of the pool back into the community interest, rather than being just a town hall task," he said, adding that he believes that with the Plains Volunteer Fire Department, Plains Community Ambulance and Plains-Paradise Rural Fire involved it's going to be a new high water mark. Banham is also a member of the ambulance service and rural fire district.

Emmett said the town has not yet established pool ticket prices this year, but hasn't raised the cost since 2019. Last year's prices were $4 for a day pass for in-town residents and $6 for those who live outside the town limits. A season pass for Plains town residents was $30 and it was $45 for those outside of town. The town also offered punch cards for 10 swims at $35 for in town and out of town people for $55. Emmett said she has already received requests for pool parties. A two-hour pool party last year was $150 and $50 for each additional hour.

The pool will be open Monday through Saturday 1-5 p.m. for open swimming. The town will also have lap swim hours and swim lessons. A resident might be bringing back the Plains Piranhas Swim Team, which disbanded some five years ago. Information on the pool will also be on the town's website.