For the first time in decades, Fairfax County will allow hotels, condominium complexes and a gym to get rid of their lifeguards. But critics worried the trend will continue and lead to a higher rate of drownings.
"He was floating on his back when he fell asleep," recalled Piotr Krajewski, a lifeguard who was working at a Falls Church condominium complex on June 11, 2016, when a 38-year-old man almost drowned.
Krajewski dove in, pulled him out and began CPR. The man started breathing again. Fairfax Fire and Rescue said he was taken to the hospital and survived with no injuries.
What if a lifeguard hadn't been there?
"He would have died, I'm certain of this," Krajewski said.
Another lifeguard at the same pool said they rescue someone every week. Yet, the condo owners could request a variance to do away with lifeguards.
That's what Tyson's Sheraton Premiere did and since May, there's been no lifeguard on duty. The hotel is one of 15 proprieties that the Fairfax County Health Department has recently allowed to operate with no lifeguards. Several condo complexes are also on the list.
Auteen Bahrami, the safety and regulations director for Sunset Pools, which trains and supplies lifeguards, said it's a dangerous trend.
"Lifeguards in Virginia and Maryland have saved thousands of lives per year, said Bahrami.
While Fairfax County code requires lifeguards at all pools, owners may apply for a variance to operate without lifeguards. More than a dozen hotels, condominium complexes and one gym have recently been granted the variance by the Fairfax County Director of Environmental Health, Pieter Sheehan.
Bahrami said Sheehan told him that he was wanted to follow other states such as California, Missouri and Arizona that have allowed variances in the lifeguard code for property owners who demonstrate a budgetary need.
WUSA9 reached out to Peter Sheehan by phone and asked why he granted the variances and why the public was not involved. Sheehan told her he could not talk to reporters.
For years, past health directors rejected all of the requests to avoid the lifeguard requirement, Bahrami said.
"For 40 years, this was not happening with our previous directors. And we had a solid saving record," he said.
"We have one of the highest standards of living in the country. And we don't want to sacrifice this. We worked hard for these standards,” Bahrami said. “Our public health and safety is more important than California's Missouri's or Arizona's if that's how they're running their show. That's not how we run it here.”
The full list of properties approved is below.
- Comfort Suites: 13980 Metrotech Drive, Chantilly
- Spring Hill Suites: 6065 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria
- Hampton Inn & Suites: 6430 Arlington Blvd, Falls Church
- Hyatt Fairfax: 12777 Fair Lake Circle, Fairfax
- Sheraton Tysons Hotel: 8661 Leesburg Pike, Tysons
- Westin Reston Heights, 11750 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston
- Residence Inn By Marriott: 315 Elden Street, Herndon
- Wingate Chantilly: 3940 Centerview Drive, Chantilly
- Wilton House Condo Unit Owners Association: 2726 Gallows Road, Vienna
- Hampton Inn & Suites Herndon: 435 Herndon Parkway, Herndon
- Golds Gym of Alexandria: 7770 Richmond Highway, Alexandria
- Comfort Inn Gunston Center: 8180 Silverbrook Road, Lorton
- Fairfield Inn Chantilly: 3960 Corsain Court, Chantilly
- Hampton Inn Chantilly: 4050 Westfax Drive, Chantilly
- Hilton Garden Inn: 3950 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax
