Hersheypark Recognizes National Water Safety Month in May 2023
BE WATER AWARE With These 5 Water Safety Tips This Summer
Governor Josh Shapiro has signed a proclamation supporting the month of May as Water Safety Month for the state of Pennsylvania. National Water Safety Month is an annual awareness campaign coordinated by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance with support from the American Red Cross, National Drowning Prevention Alliance, National Recreation and Park Association, and World Waterpark Association.
Hersheypark amusement park is proud to recognize this important observance by promoting water safety at The Boardwalk At Hersheypark, an 11-acre water park open daily inside the Park from May 27 through Sept. 4, 2023.
Make a Splash at the Water Park
The Boardwalk At Hersheypark is the perfect place to cool off on a hot summer day, with 16 water attractions and one million gallons of water. Guests can plunge down one of six open-air water slides; race again and again on one of the longest mat racing slides in the world; rocket through hills, tunnels and turns on a water coaster; relax on a slow and winding lazy river; catch a wave in the 378,000-gallon wave pool; and more.
The Boardwalk At Hersheypark is also home to East Coast Waterworks, an attraction modeled after iconic boardwalks along the East Coast that offers more than 600 interactive water features alone. The biggest splash comes from a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket for those looking to get drenched on a hot summer day.
Safety and Fun Go Hand-in-Hand at Hersheypark
We strive to ensure our guests have fun and stay safe at The Boardwalk At Hersheypark. If you are planning a visit this summer, keep these 5 water safety tips in mind:
- Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes both adults and children.
- Parents are the first line of defense. “If your child is in the water, you should be too!” Make sure an adult is constantly watching young children swimming, playing or bathing in water. Do not participate in any distracting activities while supervising children around the water.
- Wear a life jacket. Non-swimmers and inexperienced swimmers should also always wear a life jacket when in and around the water. Inflatable toys can be fun but are not a substitute for U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. At Hersheypark, guests of the Miniatures, Kisses and Reese's height categories must wear a life vest on certain water attractions. Guests may bring their own life jacket, as long as it is Coast Guard approved. Lifejackets are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. Outside wave boards, inner tubes, inflatable toys, or other inflatables, including water wings or swimmies, are not permitted.
- Never swim alone or in unsupervised places. Teach your children to always swim with a buddy.
- Look for lifeguards. Be sure the area is well supervised by lifeguards before you or others in your group enter the water.
Hersheypark also encourages guests to wear proper foot protection in queues and all walking surfaces as they may become hot in the sun. Aqua shoes are not permitted on the body slides. There are complimentary shoe drops available to guests. Furthermore, only appropriate swimwear is permitted on the attractions. Revealing bathing suits, shorts with rivets, snaps, zippers, metal ornamentation, cutoffs and jeans are not permitted.
Certified and Trained Lifeguard Staff
The lifeguard staff is well-trained to keep all guests safe as they take a break from coaster riding and beat the heat in the water park. Currently, there are 24 Certified Lifeguard Instructors, who are certified to train lifeguards; and one Lifeguard Instructor Trainer, who is qualified to train the Lifeguard Instructors, on the Hersheypark Team. All Hersheypark lifeguards are trained and certified through Jeff Ellis & Associates, a leader in water park safety.
Every Hersheypark lifeguard completes a minimum of four hours of continued in-service education per month to ensure that skills are maintained at a test-ready level. Lifeguard certifications are valid for one year only, which ensures that seasonal team members receive updated training every year.
To be certain that lifeguards are always vigilant, Jeff Ellis & Associates completes random, unannounced, hidden camera audits of the lifeguard staff while they are performing their duties. These audits include the introduction of a mannequin or live action actor in to the Lifeguard’s Zone of Protection to ensure the on-duty lifeguard is maintaining optimum vigilance. In addition, the training and certification that each Lifeguard receives includes CPR/AED/First Aid for adults, children and infants.
Coming off of a perfect aquatic audit season in 2022, Hersheypark received the prestigious “Platinum International Aquatics Safety Award” from Jeff Ellis & Associates. The Platinum Award is based on the Aquatic Safety Team's performance as evaluated during the Unannounced Aquatic Safety Audits performed during the season.
Join the Hersheypark Team
Hersheypark is actively looking to hire lifeguards ages 15+ for the 2023 summer season. For information about these and any of our available positions, please visit HersheyJobs.com.
Plan a Visit Today
The Boardwalk At Hersheypark is one of three parks included in Hersheypark admission. Guests can also enjoy more than 70 rides (weather and maintenance permitting) this summer, plus access to ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park only when entering the Zoo from the bridge inside Hersheypark during posted Park hours. Great ticket deals are available on Hersheypark.com.