When people swim at a lifeguarded pool, they expect those lifeguards to recognize and respond to struggling swimmers quickly and effectively. But according to a 2011 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lifeguards failed between 2000 and 2008 to prevent more than 100 drownings in the pools under their surveillance.

Coming up with fresh programming ideas for all of your swimming pool patrons throughout the long swim season can be a challenge for even the best and most creative aquatic professionals. Programming is the best way to attract new swimmers and keep them coming back for more.

Proper sanitization of your pool's water is a crucial job, helping keep the water clean and clear, and protecting swimmers from potential illness. Managing pool chemicals can be hazardous, but there are ways to make the job safer and more manageable.

For many years now, bike riding has been growing in popularity. Whether riders are commuting to work, running errands, getting a workout or just having some fun, communities are finding creative ways to make bicycling even more mainstream. Bike-friendly communities have a few things in common: safe and pleasant places to ride, with appealing destinations such as local parks or places to stop for a bite, along with bike-friendly amenities.

If you are responsible for maintenance operations at any facility (commercial property, resort or apartment complex) with a water feature, it can be a challenge and time-consuming to maintain proper water balance. Finding cost-effective solutions you can depend on that make maintenance easier can take a load off your mind and free up valuable time.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 23.2 percent of adults ages 18 and up meet Physical Activity Guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. Inactivity continues to have a dramatic, negative impact on Americans' health, which is why so many communities are looking for new ways to incorporate fitness and wellness activities into their parks and sites.

Seasonal amenities can provide a great deal of recreational opportunities—at least until the weather turns. Many communities and recreational organizations are looking for facilities that can span seasons, remaining open and useful in winter and summer. Manufacturers and designers have responded with innovative new ways to keep the fun going year-round.

If you want people to visit your park and enjoy all the amenities you have to offer, it's important not to overlook the necessity for clean, aesthetically pleasing restrooms. Whether your site is a rural trailhead, a high-traffic suburban park with ballfields or an urban setting with a formal look, you'll have no problem finding an ideal solution when you go with premanufactured concrete restroom structures.

NSF 50/ANSI standards establish minimum performance requirements for equipment, products and systems installed in recreational water facilities. These standards cover everything from water sanitation and filtering equipment to surfacing on the pool deck.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were nearly 40 million Americans with a disability as of 2015, representing 12.6 percent of the population. While disability is more prevalent among older adults, 5.4 percent of children between 5 and 17 years old are estimated to have a disability by the Pew Research Center, and the CDC estimated that about one in seven U.S. children has a developmental disability.