The American Red Cross has revoked the lifeguard certifications of 25 young people after learning that they received only abbreviated instruction in a Red Cross training course involving swimming coaches from several elite D.C.-area private schools, according to the organization, one of the students and two of the coaches.
One of the coaches, Monica Barry of Stone Ridge, said she has been permanently banned from teaching Red Cross lifeguard courses. “It is very difficult and I am really saddened by the whole thing,” she said in an email to The Post. She said she thinks the students received adequate training April 6. But she said it was a mistake to conduct the class in a shorter span than “the Red Cross required number of hours.” She called it “a one-time lapse” in her long aquatics career.
The student who described the course did not use the certification card while it was technically valid for two months. “I was a little skeptical of it,” the teenager said. Parents of several other students in the class either declined to discuss the course or could not be reached for comment.
Asked in emails about her brother’s involvement on April 6, Barry replied: “We are sub contractors to Kenwood.” She said Lynch assisted with the class but “did not sign off or was on the course record.” She said: “Rich Bettencourt and Chris Lynch were NOT instructors of record on this course and neither have been sanctioned by the Red Cross.”
The licensed providers are facilities such as country clubs and recreation centers that have pools and contractual agreements with the Red Cross. In return for being allowed to host Red Cross-branded lifeguard courses, the facilities give a share of the class fees to the Red Cross and pledge that the training will follow Red Cross protocols, McCallum said.
The Red Cross said “a remediation plan” has been developed for Kenwood as a result of the April 6 course, but the club’s licensed provider contract remains in place. “We will continue to monitor Kenwood,” Maul said.