When I was at Soak City a while back there was a man going around and dunking this doll into the water. He would hold it in there for about 5-10 seconds and then pull it out. He did this quite a bit, I lost count after seven. Now here's my question, could this be an exercise to test the readiness of the Lifeguards? Because I didn't see a single one even react to it. Or was it just some guy trying to stir up trouble?

I am not certain about SC, but the local indoor waterpark does use a " dummy" to train & keep the lifeguards on duty on their toes.

I can only hope the same goes for what you observed. If not, that is one sick person & a cruel joke.

Yes, it was that procedure happened last year. Funny story, the man was dunking the doll, people saw it, and started screaming stop man stop! Then the management had to explain what was happening.

The best joke that comes to mind is probably not appropriate for this forum. I hate when that happens.

It was neither a life guard nor a procedure, it was a crazy man holding a voodoo doll under the water in hopes he could drown the person that doll was linked to

I saw a person drop the doll face down near the pirate ship and walk away. The guards saw it, picked it up, and gave the doll back after brief chat. It really freaked out a few parents for a few seconds.

I was pretty freaked out when I saw him holding it under water, until I figure out it was a doll. But I'm still wondering why the life guards didn't do anything about it. Unless they knew it was a doll and just ignored it...

The doll had it coming. You don't cross the boss, and you sure don't interfere with a "correction".

Under the program that they use to certify their lifeguards (ELLIS) you only have 30 seconds to spot and respond to an emergency. I used to go through this procedure as a lifeguard at Oceans of Fun years ago.

They try to sneak the doll into the area (but IMHO) the guards really do see them coming in general unless they really are not paying attention.

Generally they do a quick toss and run away, but they could have been dunking it if they saw a guard looking toward them or about to look their way to maybe catch them off guard.

If this was a test, they failed.

I've been passed by a floating doll in the lazy river. A guard jumped in quickly and retrieved it. Simple testing.

You weren't even the slightest perplexed by it?

I didn't have time to be perplexed. The moment I saw the doll a lifeguard jumped in and slammed it on the concrete. Thats when I realized it was a doll.

Maybe the guy was demonstrating the new proposed procedure to be carried out on all line jumpers.

Mike B.

When I was at Soak City a while back there was a man going around and dunking this doll into the water. He would hold it in there for about 5-10 seconds and then pull it out. He did this quite a bit, I lost count after seven. Now here's my question, could this be an exercise to test the readiness of the Lifeguards? Because I didn't see a single one even react to it. Or was it just some guy trying to stir up trouble?

Kings Island uses the Ellis program and it is required that every month they do something called "zone validations." this is where they take the doll and drop it every few steps to basically make sure the lifeguard would be able to spot any person in distress anywhere around their zone. They have to make sure that there aren't any blind spots anywhere in the river. If a guard is being VAT tested (vigilance awareness training) the guard MUST respond to any doll dropped around their zone. if they fail to recognize and rescue the doll, they fail and are put through another test at a different time. If the guards are zone validating they will inform the lifeguard on stand that they are not being tested and to ignore it.

Maybe the guy was demonstrating the new proposed procedure to be carried out on all line jumpers.

Don't you mean all UNPAID line jumpers?!

Maybe the guy was demonstrating the new proposed procedure to be carried out on all line jumpers.

Don't you mean all UNPAID line jumpers?!

Fast Lane isn't line jumping. It's a separate line.

DStorm has it down. You get only so many failed VAT test before they pull your lifeguarding license. Also, EA recently tightened their response-times to rescue and validation requirements. There are generally 3 ways of testing. One with a black rubber brick, meant to be spotted as an "unidentified object" which per requirements must be responded to. Another is a silouette that is place at the bottom of a zone. The final and most often used is the doll.

Fast Lane isn't line jumping. It's a separate line.

What makes you think that I was referring to Fast Lane?