2004-09-03 Committee on People with Disabilities Minutes

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Accessibility reviews Konawaena Pool had a wide therapeutic access ladder installed this month. The Konawaena chair lift is still broken. The chair lift at NAS Pool (priority B) recently broke. NAS serves many people with disabilities with aquatic classes which fill to maximum capacity. Plans are being made to move a temporary, portable chair lift from Kona Community Aquatic Center (KCAC) to the NAS pool. Pahala Pool has an adapted aquatics class every Thursday. They are still waiting for an access solution. Pahala is listed as priority C on the transition plan. Shower wheelchairs would improve access and increase compliance with Department of Health requirements to shower before entering the pool. However, the county is not required to provide personal devices such as hearing aids, wheelchairs, etc. A. Mitchener asked how MCPD felt about shower chairs. Should the individual provide one themselves or should our public facilities have one available? L. Tobosa asked A. Mitchener if she inquired with the Department of Health whether shower chairs were a requirement. A. Mitchener said she would find out. Spoke to the lifeguards about creating a plan for gender sensitive private changing areas for families and caregivers. More lifeguard positions are needed. Pools have to close when their only lifeguard is absent. This impacts people with disabilities who depend on regular structured classes for health and social interaction. A. Mitchener strongly recommended investing in a spine board attachment for the pool chair lifts. An injured swimmer can be lifted from the water to the pool deck in a supine position during an emergency rescue, by a single lifeguard with this attachment. It needs to be ordered with new chair lifts, as they cannot be retrofitted to chairs that are already installed. Aquatics summer evaluation and policy review She worked with the Aquatics Division in evaluating their summer experiences and reviewing some of their policies. Lifeguards are not to assist anyone into and out of the water unless it’s an emergency. Their primary responsibility is overseeing pool safety for all patrons. In comparison, Oahu pool policy is: If a person with a disability registers in a structured class or activity with an instructor (i.e. learn to swim or water exercise), they provide access into and out of the water. If a person requires assistance transferring from wheelchair to swim lift, they are required to provide this service. Training in transfer techniques is required of all pool staff, including instructors who conduct classes and related programs. However, if a person with a disability participates in open public recreational swim periods, the responsibility is to provide access only to the water's edge, not requiring transfers into and out of the water. 3