let's discuss the new rules at the Tyrone pool

[csoellner]

I'm sure you have all seen my letter to the editor about my son's concussion. I would like to hear everyone's input. For those of you who didn't read my letter in the paper, my son was at the pool ,fell in the bathroom and hit his head off of the concrete floor, resulting in a concussion. He is 9 years old, and was refused when asked to use the phone to call me for help. His babysitter, who is 14, was also told no kids are allowed on the phone. Oh, and no lifeguard would help him either. He sat on his towel for almost 3 hours waiting for a ride- the payphone has been removed also.

[Starz]

I did read your letter to the editor and was could not believe it. There is much talk about the new rules. How did you respond to the situation in regards to your son. It was my son I would have been down at the borough building. If you did contact someone, what did they say?
I have to agree with the food situation. I really can't believe you cannot take your own food and drinks in. I don't go to the pool but know many people that do and they all say the same things when it comes to food. Terrible situation.

[Harlow]

The Letters to the Editor aren't posted online.

Paste the letter into the a message so we can read.

[csoellner]

I made a call to the swimming pool the very next morning( it was closing time when my son came home) and spoke with the woman in charge that day. If I didn't have such excellent healthcare I may have taken my complaint further, but I had no out of pocket expense, just a hurt little boy. He is fine now and only suffered a bad headache with his concussion. I just mainly wanted to get the point across that food isn't the only problem at the pool. I would paste a copy of my letter to the editor but I'm having problems doing it.

[Starz]

The letter was not that long, do you think you could just type what you wrote in the Herald so that we can get some opinions? I would type it myself but I burned the paper already.

[IMMARIA]

Saturday, July 22, 2006
The Daily Herald
Letter to Editor


In lieu of recent events, I felt it important to tell my story. On Sunday, July 8, 2006 my son wanted to go swimming at the Tyrone pool. I was unable to take him myself, so he went swimming with a friend. My son is nine-years-old and his chaperone is 14 years old. I dropped the children off at 4:30PM and planned on picking them up at 7:30PM. I gave them money for the pay phone to call me if they needed anything. At the time I was unaware that the pay phone had been removed. Shortly after arriving, my son fell in the men’s restroom and banged his head off of the concrete floor. This resulted in half of his forehead immediately swelling and bruising. Keep in mind that my son is only nine-years old. Crying, he went to the front desk and asked to use the phone, as there is no longer a pay phone. He was told no. He then showed his injuries to both lifeguards on duty. Not only was he not offered help, but
he was told, “That must hurt“. His chaperone then tried to use the phone for him to call for help, and was denied. Having no other choice, he sat on the towel until 7:30PM, waiting for his ride. It is my understanding that the lifeguards are trained in basic first aid. Yet no one helped my son. No ice was offered, no one offered to call for help. Needless to say, my son has a concussion. He missed a week of all-star baseball games as a result. He was not immediately treated when the injury occurred and therefore had to be observed for a week. I did speak to a pool employee the next day and was told that it would be reported. This is not good enough for me. I want the town to know how “trained” the swimming pool employees really are. I have never worried about my son at the pool, he is an avid swimmer and passed the swimming test when he was five-years old. I knew I had little to worry about when it comes to my son swimming, but I never thought I would have to worry about him being neglected by three swimming pool employees in an emergency situation. We now regret spending money on season passes. Not only can we not take our own food (which we have always done) but now we cannot trust that the pool employees have enough common sense to call for help when a child is hurt. It only takes common sense when dealing with a head injury, which makes it even worse that “trained” lifeguards don’t know enough to apply ice or make a phone call. The swimming pool renovations are wonderful, but what was the point in spending all that money if no one feels comfortable going there.

[jayestewart]

Has there been a response to this incident....there has to be more to this story.

[csoellner]

No, I have not heard one word from anyone at the pool, borough, etc. I intentionally included my home telephone number with my letter to the editor, thinking that maybe they would want to contact me( I also included my full address.) I figured that if anyone from the borough wanted to contact me, the info would get passed on. But, people make mistakes and I understand that. It is a shame though that it is acceptable to sweep things under the rug nowadays. Luckily my son's injury was mild and he is completely healed. I think what bothered me the most the the total lack of humanity from the pool employees when dealing with a child. I really didn't expect a response or an apology from anyone. Good thing, huh?

[BeachBiker]

Has there been a response to this incident....there has to be more to this story.

I'm sure that - based only on what I've seen printed about this story here - any further discussion (other than commentary by uninvolved persons) should be held only between legal counsel for both parties.

csoellner, just an educated and experienced guess on my part - but I'd bet that they are NOT contacting you yet on advice from the Borough Solicitor. They are likely waiting to see what you will do about this in THAT arena, and probably dreading the possibilities.

[djbigdawg1]

That would be my guess too, beachbiker. The state of Tyrone is getting worse as the days go by. I too have read all the letters and heard the complaints about the pool situation. Its a shame that people cannot take their own food or drinks into the pool. Back when i attended the pool regularly as a kid with my friends, their was never a problem. We bought some items but we also brought our drinks with us as we rode our bikes to the pool. Its a shame that the boy fell and hurt himself BUT a bigger shame that the employee that stated the "rules" couldnt break it in case of an emergency. Any normal thinking person would have assisted the 9 yo child.

Goes to show that the mentality of the borough is NOT geared for the kids at all. WHEN did they stop the leagues at resevoir park for basketball?? The league brought many to the area to play and practice for the BIG summer league at Mansion Park. WHO is this Jen Bryan and Jim Grazier anyway? Their thinking is way off the mark and im glad i never voted for them in any election (and wont in the future). I used to play at the park many a weekend and shot sometimes during the week when i had the time. I stunk BUT i enjoyed it. Now we have a softball field with no league, a soccer field (old Neptunes Field) with no league and now a basketball court with scoreboard with no league........whats next Jen and Jim; Park Avenue playground with no program???

maybe you guys should come up with a rule that Tyrone residents can only have a yard sale so often? OH WAIT you are!!!!

[jayestewart]

For those of you who are in Tyrone, I would suggest trying to form a recreational advisory board. There are many reasons why things happen when it comes to lack of activities for youth. Many times it is because no one wants to be responsible for the league. I don't know a single thing about any of the issues in this forum, however I have to believe that if a group of you got together to serve on a board that changes could be made.

[djbigdawg1]

Recreational Board for what??

Not putting the idea down, jaye BUT we're talking about Tyrone. The council and citizens of Tyrone are concerned about the leagues of the town.....well some are anyway.

The Y had the basketball leagues during the winter and summer every year. WIth the demise of the Tyrone Y and its facilities, noone stepped up to the plate (except for summer's Joshua House tournament). The council has outlawed leagues to be held during the summer at Resevoir Park. My understanding was because of a few complaints from the nearby residents. Excuse me but didn't you see the court when you were looking at the house you were about to purchase? I think council should rescind this very asinine ruling. Many teams from the area came to play in this league. Most used this league as a tune up for the Mansion Park League held in Altoona.

Next deals with the death of the softball league. When the hurricane washed out most of the field, everyone scurried to get funding and insurance money to ready the field in time for leagues. Unfortunatley the money didn't come fast enough. The Teener League went to the high school to play their league. Due to the lack of fields in Tyrone, the softball league suspended play. Word has it that the money DID come in fast enough but was held by borough council. Why was it held? To collect interest to help finance the sidewalk project for X-Mayor McCheese???

Leagues would florish in Tyrone if we had the fields to put our product on. They messed up Firemans Filed by the Neptunes for soccer but they play their games at the high school. Didn't the Neptunes use that field for many years for their fundraising purposes? The High School has been very inconsistent with the youth football league using Gray Memorial Field. Isn't this league used to ready kids to play high school ball for Tyrone? They are only kids and they WON'T mess up the prescious field.

Maybe some time in the future there might be a recreational board. BUT right now we are having troubles finding enough fields for the kids to practice on, let alone play REAL games on.

[banksy]

Nothing brigthens my day more than when Bill says "Mayor McCheese." I love that!

[jayestewart]

and that is my point. I am sure there are enough folks with kids who could voice the opinion that we need to provide activities for the kids. Has anyone in town gone to see Jim Kilmartin and suggest forming such a group. It simply would look at the needs expressed recreationally by the residents and then try to figure out ways to provide the needed facilities.
I know it can be done...I currently serve on two such committees here in FL and they do have an impact.

[150thBucktailCo.I]

Jaye said:

"I currently serve on two such committees here in FL and they do have an impact."

That statement may have pointed to the biggest difference, Jaye.

You are in Florida, Tyrone is in PA. Line of thinking are world's apart.

The borough has their priorities, and their views and plans typically do not include what others think might be best for the community regardless of how many people stand up. I think their past history is proof enough of that.

I'm sure Kilmartin (after all, he used to be an athlete) and the boro know about the lack of recreation opportunites. But I'm sure you know that most government entities do not budget a great deal of money for public recreation. The theory is that people will find their own recreation practices and facilities in the private sector. However, they seem to do minimal things as a token of providing recreation experiences, such as spending grant money on an in-line skating rink.

Does anyone actually use that rink, by the way?