Ronny Ferrel Aquatic Center to open Saturday; summer hours to be 1-6 p.m. daily

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Ronny Ferrel Aquatic Center, off U.S. 36 at 1700 Pleasant, will open Saturday. Hours for the summer will be 1 to 6 p.m. every day, with eight lifeguards and two slide attendants on duty at all times when the pool is open.

Emily Hultgren is serving her second year as aquatics director. Pool managers are Garrett Heaton and Madison Musgrove. Head lifeguards are Emilia Bates and Nevaeh Boling.

Hannibal Parks and Recreation Department switched from Red Cross to StarGuard Elite training for the employees this year. Hultgren said StarGuard Elite will allow more in-house training and internal safety audits at the pool. The city of Hannibal’s insurance company, Missouri Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency, encouraged the switch. StarGuard Elite requires training every year instead of every two years.

As a StarGuard ELITE instructor, Hultgren passed written and skills tests to demonstrate lifesaving expertise. The certification allows front desk/slide attendants to teach lifeguarding, basic life support, basic first aid, bloodborne pathogens and emergency oxygen. Hultgren also earned the National Parks and Recreation certification as an aquatic facility operator.

Hultgren trained the lifeguards in lifeguarding skills, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, automated external defibrillator and first aid implementation. She also trained front desk/concession staff members, Parks and Recreation staff and maintenance employees first aid, CPR and AED instruction.