Woodlands lifeguards will log 125,000 hours this season at community’s 14 pools

As the summer heat continues to escalate, Woodlands residents take to the pools for relief and recreation. But as parents lounge and kids play, the 330 young adults who work as lifeguards at each of the 14 community pools throughout The Woodlands must remain vigilant.

Lifeguard Emily Ledbetter, a The Woodlands High School student, watches the swimmers from the water feature at Rob Fleming Aquatic Center, 6536 Creekside Forest Drive

Lifeguard Gemma Seppi, a The Woodlands High School student, watches the swimmers at Rob Fleming Aquatic Center, 6536 Creekside Forest Drive.

Each year, nearly 4,000 people die of drowning in the U.S., and there were 30 drowning incidents in Montgomery County in 2014 – including 10 fatalities. To keep tragedy from striking on their watch, The Woodlands lifeguards put in 125,000 hours a season to watch over the community pools – which jumped in attendance from 245,000 in 2010 to just over 305,000 last year. Lifeguards performed 46 rescues in 2014 and have not had a fatality to date. click here for complete story