Learn and Practice the Water Safety Rules
Safety is a team effort. Lifeguards and guardians share the responsibility.
With that in mind, here are some helpful hints for keeping safe in the water:
Swimming is a lot of fun and a good way to get exercise. If you plan to go swimming, you should take lessons. But even if you have taken lessons, you are not “water safe.” You still need to follow water safety rules and always swim with an adult.
Whether you are at a pool, beach, pond, or other swimming area, always check for a lifeguard. Lifeguards make sure that swimmers follow the rules, and they are trained to help in case there is any trouble in or around the water. Swim only where there is a lifeguard or an adult who gives you permission to swim.
Follow the posted rules. Rules are usually posted where you can easily see them. Examples of rules to look for are signs that say “Danger,” Don’t Swim Here,” No Diving,” or “No Running or Jumping.” Also look for warning flags. Flags of different colors can mean different things. Ask the lifeguard or an adult for help.
- Swim only when you are rested.
- Never jump or dive into the water unless the lifeguard or an adult says it is allowed.
- Never eat candy or chew gum when you are swimming. You could choke and drown.
- Running, pushing, or shoving people can cause serious injury to you or your friends.
- When in the water, stay away from diving boards, slides, or boat ramps.
- Don’t swim at night unless the pool is well lit and under the supervision of an adult.
- Get out of the water immediately if you hear thunder or see lightning.
At home, parents should never leave a child unsupervised, especially in the bathroom or around even small amounts of water. All containers of water, cleaning solutions, and other liquids should be emptied immediately after use and stored out of the reach of children.
If you’re in a boat, don’t mess around. Sitting or standing on the edge of a boat or letting your arms hang over the edge can cause the boat to tip.
For more water safety information, visit Portland Fire & Rescue’s Water Safety page.
How Portland Parks & Recreation Aquatics staff
help keep you safe
Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) lifeguards are trained, audited, and drilled to stay proactive and diligent, alert, and vigilant. PP&R lifeguards must perform the following tasks while on duty:
- Maintain a consistent scanning pattern involving downward head and eye movement.
- Lifeguards must vary their scanning pattern every five minutes.
- Lifeguards must perform a “bottom check” every five minutes. If a lifeguard’s 10/20 is compromised by walking the entire zone, they can perform a thorough scan of the bottom from a stationary position or while roving the zone.
- Lifeguards must demonstrate a visible change of posture or position every five minutes.
- The maximum time for lifeguard rotations will not exceed 30 minutes. A rotation is considered a change in zones of coverage.
- To maintain a certification, lifeguards are required to attend all regularly scheduled in-services. During the summer, lifeguards will need to attend in-service weekly. If a lifeguard misses a weekly in-service during the summer, they will not be allowed to work as a lifeguard until they have attended an in-service.
- During the fall, winter, and spring, lifeguards will need to attend in-service monthly. If a lifeguard missed a monthly in-service during the fall, winter, or spring they will not be allowed to work as a lifeguard until they have attended an in-service.
Visit our Aquatics Training Programs and Employment Opportunities page for more information on PP&R Aquatics, including pool hours, locations, programs, swim lessons, and how to work with us.
Lifeguard and Swim Instructor Responsibilities
Lifeguard
This course focuses on the job of a lifeguard in a swimming pool environment, with emphasis on distressed guest recognition, scanning, and equipment-based rescues. Students successfully completing the course receive first aid, CPR, and StarGuard Lifeguard certification.
Prerequisites
- Age 16 or older by the first day of class. No age exceptions will be made.
- Must be able to swim a continuous non-stop 50 yards of freestyle or breaststroke.
- Must be able to swim a rescue tube 50 yards of freestyle or breaststroke.
- Must be able to feet first surface dive to the bottom of the pool and retrieve 10-pound brick.
- Must be able to tread water for one minute with your hands on your head, then move while treading to where you can touch.
- Must demonstrate a mature attitude.
Certification requirements
- Attend and actively participate in all sessions (no make-up sessions). If you miss a day of class, you will need to take a new class.
- Participate in all water activities.
- Successfully complete all required skill testing in CPR for the Professional Rescuer, First Aid, and Lifeguarding Rescue Skills.
- Score 80% on the Lifeguarding written exam.
Responsibilities of a Lifeguard with Portland Parks & Recreation
- Prevent accidents through the enforcement of policies, rules, and regulations governing the conduct of guests using the pools.
- Be friendly, helpful, and cheerful to all pool guests and fellow employees.
- Maintain a “we can” atmosphere through good public relations.
- Be punctual when reporting for duty.
- Maintain an acceptable appearance of both uniform and personal hygiene at all times.
- Set a good example of proper pool conduct for guests to follow.
- Prepare accident, incident, and rescue reports as needed.
- Swim each week of employment to maintain a good fitness level.
- Have knowledge of program offerings at your facility and be able to convey that information to guests.
- Work as a cashier as needed and fulfill all the responsibilities of cashier while in that position.
- Do pool maintenance as needed, which includes but is not limited to: pool vacuuming, hosing and disinfection of decks and locker rooms, and cleaning and maintaining the facility throughout the day.
- Report safety concerns to supervisor as needed.
- Complete audits as required.
- Complete tasks assigned by supervisor.
Swim Instructor
Portland Parks & Recreation requires that swim instructor candidates complete the initial certification class, followed by successful completion of co-instructing and solo instructing. During the initial class, swim instructor candidates receive intensive training through bookwork, group discussions, presentations, hands-on training, and experience while assisting with swim lessons.
Prerequisites
- Age 16 or older by the first day of class. No age exceptions.
- Must be able to swim 25 yards of front crawl with side breathing.
- Must be able to swim 25 yards of backstroke.
Certification requirements
- Attend and actively participate in all sessions (no make-up sessions). If you miss a day of class you will need to take a new class.
- Complete reading and writing assignments for each class.
- Participate in all water activities.
- Successfully complete teaching assignments.
- Score at least 80% on all quizzes and final exam.
Responsibilities of a Swim Instructor with Portland Parks & Recreation
- Teach swim lessons.
- Teach parent/child classes (Angelfish and Starfish).
- Convey a fun and positive experience for each participant in your class.
- Strive for skill development and stroke improvement from each participant.
- Be friendly, enthusiastic, and caring towards participants in class.
- Give feedback to parents regarding their child’s progress in your class.
- Provide a good mixture of demonstration, explanation, practice, and skill correction during each lesson.
- Keep class active during each lesson by preparing for class (lesson plan).
- Evaluate and issue proper certificates to participants.
- Set a good example of proper pool conduct for participants to follow.
- Keep accurate course records.
- Work well with the lead instructor.
Portland Parks & Recreation Pool Safety Information
Policies and information
- Please follow all posted pool and code of conduct rules.
- Safety is a team effort. Lifeguards and guardians share the responsibility.
- Lifejackets are available free of charge at all PP&R pools.
- All children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult or responsible person over the age of 16 in the facility at all times.
- Lifejackets are not permitted down the big slides or in the deep end. Lifejackets are available to borrow and use during swims. If you need help fitting a life jacket, please ask a staff member.
- Admission is first-come, first-serve. Pool capacities will vary based on current staffing levels. For capacity questions, please reach out to your neighborhood pool directly.
- Certain amenities may be unavailable for safety or staffing reasons. Thank you in advance for your continued patience as we resume indoor aquatic programming.
- Children under 48 inches tall and non-swimmers (including children in lifejackets) will require someone age 16 or over to be with them, in the water, within arms distance, at all times.
- Everyone admitted onto the pool deck must pay admission, even if they are not getting in the water. The only exceptions are swim lesson spectator.
- During play swims, all swimmers wishing to swim in the deep end or lap pool will be required to pass a swim test and wear a wristband indicating they are approved to be in the deep end. Non-swimmers and those without a wristband will be asked to move to shallow areas.
Pool rules
- All persons are required to take a cleaning shower before entering the pool.
- Please do not use the pool if you have had diarrhea in the past two weeks, or a disease communicable by water.
- Shower your child and yourself. Take a cleansing shower before entering the pool or after using the toilet.
- Swimmers who are not toilet trained must wear a swim diaper.
- Immuno-compromised individuals should use caution when using a public pool.
- Water and alcohol don’t mix. No person under the influence of alcohol may use the pool.
- No running or rough play.
- No glass or plastic that will shatter.
- No food or drink in the pool.
- No diving allowed, except in designated diving areas.
- No animals in the pool area.
- All non-swimmers and children under 48 inches must be accompanied by a responsible adult observer in the water.
- No front flips or back dives off side of pool. Always enter pools feet first unless in specified diving areas.
- No excessive breath holding or prolonged underwater swimming.
- No undressing or changing of diapers on the pool deck.
- No tobacco, vaping, e-cigarette, or drug use.
- No hanging on dividing walls or lane lines.
- Swimwear should be appropriate and family friendly. See staff for further guidance.
- Flotation devices are only allowed in designated areas.
- Only swim during hours of operation when there is a lifeguard on duty.
- Water guns or toys resembling weapons are not allowed on site. All other toys will be permitted at the discretion of the lifeguard.
- Please abide by the code of conduct and any directives given by staff.
Accessibility notes
We have chair lifts with straps available at the following pools:
- Creston Outdoor Pool - lifts available for access to full pool
- East Portland Community Center Pool - lifts available on lap pool, leisure pool and spa
- Grant Outdoor Pool - lifts available for access to full pool
- Matt Dishman Community Center Pool - lifts available on lap pool and spa
- Montavilla Outdoor Pool - lifts available for access to full pool
- Peninsula Outdoor Pool - lifts available for access to full pool
- Pier Outdoor Pool - lifts available for access to full pool
- Southwest Community Center Pool - lifts available on lap pool and spa
- Ida B. Wells Outdoor Pool - lifts available on lap pool
Please note: Mt. Scott Community Center Pool is closed for renovations.
The following pools have a zero-depth entry into the leisure pool, and a pool-accessible wheelchair is available for pool visitors to use:
- East Portland Community Center Pool - pool-accessible wheelchair available on leisure pool
- Ida B. Wells Outdoor Pool- pool-accessible wheelchair available on leisure pool
- Sellwood Outdoor Pool
- Southwest Community Center Pool - pool-accessible wheelchair available on leisure pool
River Swimming Safety
Tips for open water swimming
- Know your limits: it is possible to jump off a dock, paddle around and get out without being a strong swimmer. But don’t find yourself halfway across the river in trouble because you’ve run out of energy. Swimming in the Portland’s rivers requires an intermediate to advanced level of skill at a minimum. Can you swim half a mile in a pool without stopping? You will need that level of strength and ability to be safe. If you are not that strong a swimmer, wear a personal flotation device. Fins help too.
- Know the water: currents in the Portland’s rivers vary based on rainfall and the tide. Wind may cause choppiness, making swimming challenging even for the strongest of swimmers. Know the weather forecast and avoid swimming during storms, in strong winds and when there is lightning. Do not swim when sewage is being released, which can happen – particularly during and after heavy storms.
- River temperatures vary. Be particularly careful May through June when air temperatures are around 80 degrees but river temperatures may be are 50 degrees. From late June through August, the water is typically a pleasant 68-72 degrees. Temperatures start to drop fast come September. Limit your time in cold water. If you swim during cold weather (below 68 degrees), wear a wet suit or other thermal protection. Check the Willamette River's conditions at the Bureau of Environmental Services site or U.S. Geological Survey site.
- Don’t swim alone: when open water swimming, have a safety paddler whenever possible. For visibility and safety, there is no substitute for a stand-up paddleboard or kayak paddler. At the very least, swim with a buddy.
- Be visible and audible: carry a safety whistle and wear a brightly-colored swim cap. Use a brightly colored floating safety buoy. This bright orange, floating dry bag is helpful for visibility, and in case you need to rest for a few minutes and float. You can also carry personal items inside.
- Don't swim in the dark.
- Swim close to shore. Channel crossing is more dangerous that you might think. Tug boats, barges, and motor boats are not looking for swimmers and may not see you. Even jet skiers often don’t see swimmers. Stay close to shore where it’s safer.
- Don’t swallow the water. Try to avoid getting river water in your mouth. Shower thoroughly with soap and warm water after swimming. Don’t swim in the instances when an algae bloom is present.
- Learn CPR: In the time it might take for paramedics to arrive, your CPR skills could make a difference in someone's life.
- Don’t swim under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. They can impair your judgment and put you at risk. Swimming under the influence is a major contributing factor in many drowning deaths.
- Practice “leave no trace” swimming: pack out what you pack in, and consider bringing a plastic bag along so you can pick up any trash when you come out to play in the river. That way, you can pick up a little extra trash on your way out and contribute to the health and beauty of one of Portland's largest public spaces.
- Be respectful of our dedicated public safety officials: obey all river security and safety personnel, including the Multnomah County River Patrol, Portland Police, Coast Guard, and PP&R’s Park Rangers.
Visit our Swimming in Portland’s Rivers page for more information.