A NEW Boss in San Diego!

The SCP (Our Class) Building in San Diego

We opened up our 2010 SCP San Diego CPO class this past Thursday and Friday, March 4-5.  A new boss was in town, too - David Ogren — a.k.a. “David-O”.  Congratulations on the new job and promotion, Dave!  And thank you for the red carpet welcome!

We arrived at SCP the day before class to set up the classroom in advance and everything went very smoothly.

As always, the first day of class is jam-packed with information, but it was no problem for this class!  We had a few 15-20 year veteran pool guys, a 25+ year  aquatics manager of a nearby school district (11 competition pools), and a couple of pool operators/managers of an oceanside resort — one of them was also a bio-chemist!  We had great discussions about pool water chemistry; water balance, chlorine, cyanuric acid (aaah, yes–”cyanuric acid” - “stabilizer” - “conditioner”–whatever you want to call it).

Chlorine / CYA Chart (all values are ppm)

As we were going through CT values of various pathogens it was pointed out that the values did not take in to consideration the effect of cyanuric acid on chlorine.  Yes, CYA does protect chlorine from the sun, but it also slows down the killing time AND oxidation times of the pathogens.  How much does it slow it down? — well — it depends on how much cyanuric acid is in the water.

Here’s a simple chart that shows how much chlorine is needed to have the same killing/oxidation effect per amount of CYA.

Steve Donohoe and David Ogren

There are a couple of great swimming pool maintenance forums out on the internet: Trouble Free Pool and The Pool Forum.  They both have very sound  technical information, backed up by research papers.  This chart comes from the Trouble Free Pool forum: HERE.

Thanks again, David-O….and thanks to your entire SCP crew!  See you again in June!

The Rain Continues — Riverside, February 2010

Michael Torres & E. J. Wamsley working at the SCP counter in Riverside, CA

The rains just keep on coming here in Southern California…but no complaints here! — its all needed and welcomed!

Speaking of welcome —  E.J Wamsley and crew gave us a huge welcome back to open up our first CPO class in Riverside for 2010 this past Thursday and Friday, February 4-5.  Thanks guys!

Our class again was as diverse as ever - new guys, seasoned pool guys, and facility managers.   They came from distant areas of California, too:   Santa Barbara, Yucaipa and Indian Wells!

Starting off  the first day of class, we learned some new terminology, and about constants, formulas and conversions, while also learning about BTU’s,  the area of a circle (πR²), square inches to square feet, PPM…..and much more.

What’s PPM? — Parts Per Million — it is a weight ratio.  An example:  1 ppm of chlorine means that there is 1 pound of elemental chlorine to 1 million pounds of water.  What’s a million pounds of water? — about 120,000 gallons.  How many pounds of elemental chlorine in 1 gallon of liquid chlorine? — Oh, about 1 pound.

They love the Mike n' Ike's & Hot Tamales!

So if you add 1 gallon of liquid chlorine to a 120,000 gallon pool, you will raise the chlorine level 1 PPM (it does not take much).  For a regular backyard pool - 15,000 gallons ( 1/8 of 120,000) it only takes 1 pint to raise it 1 PPM  (1/8 of a gallon = 1 pint) or 1 quart to raise it 2 PPM! .  Hey–you just learned the definition of PPM and how to use it!…a step towards understanding pool water chemistry.

Some popular changes and additions in 2010:

- Our Mike n’ Ike’s and Hot Tamale candies, hand-wrapped in our new CPO class schedule-YUM!….and

- Our new Thursday-Friday classes are a win-win for us, for PoolCorp and for our students (plus everyone gets to go home at 5:00 p.m. on a week day!–hooray!)

Thank you, PoolCorp — you’re AWESOME!

Rain Starts the New Year In Anaheim!

Our New Venue in Anaheim

Our first CPO class this year was held January 21-22, 2010 at the beautiful PoolCorp Anaheim operational support facility (previously, the headquarters for Superior Pool Products LLC).

Despite 5 days of rain (3-4 inches) and some area flooding , we still had a great turnout for class and all students arrived safely.

In addition to the local travelers, we had students from San Diego, Santa Barbara, Simi Valley, and even one from Waikoloa, Hawaii! — everyone commented on the nice building and exceptional classroom environment.

Class started out with our customary student introductions, and then we progressed through the curriculum.  When we got to the infamous Chapter 4:  Pool Water Contamination,  we discussed Recreational Water Illnesses (RWI) and what causes them.  Students were amazed to learn about all the bacteria, parasites and viruses that can and do get into our swimming pool water!  Ugh!!

Recreational Water Illnesses at a Glance

Being aware of these “bad bugs” and knowing how to prevent RWI is a fundamental skill of the Certified Pool/Spa Operator. Check out this brief outline (right) on what can make you sick in the swimming pool.

Thank you’s go to:  Don White for allowing us to have class in this beautiful facility; to Shelly Miller for being such a gracious host; and to Elizabeth Nappi for seeing us out a little late on Friday afternoon.  You guys are AWESOME!  We are really looking forward to our next class there in March!

Shelly Miller and Steve Donohoe -- It was cold and rainy -- but we did stay dry!

Last Class in 2009

Class finale of 2009

We had our last class of 2009 the weekend before Thanksgiving on Friday and Saturday, November 20-21.  We were teaching at our home base:  PoolCorp’s SCP, Orange, CA location.

All the classes have had their own personality and this one was no different.

As we were going through the presentations regarding water contamination, pool water problems, water circulation, and filtration — it all came down to this:  we need to disinfect to kill harmful pathogens.

And then we focused on:  ’How do you get the dead pathogens and other microscopic contaminates out of the water?’  Well, in many ways:

1. Oxidation — by break point chlorination, ozone, potassium, or using enzymes
2. Diluting or draining the pool water
3. Nano filtration

Nano filtration! — What’s that?  Well, as it turns out, one of the students owns a company that built a portable nano-filtration system that can filter out pool water contaminates, calcium and other dissolved solids; thus, reclaiming 75% of the water.  A very interesting coincidence, don’t you think!

We took a few pictures of our last class, but the camera did not make it home from our out-of-town trip.  We misplaced it somehow, and it is not to be found….so no pictures this time–sorry!

Thank you Stan and Matt at SCP/Orange and thank you PoolCorp for a great year.  And a huge thank you to all our students this year for spending your resources and your time to improve our pool service industry!

Check our out 2010 schedule: 2010 CPO Class Schedule

Xtreme Education in Long Beach

Some of the Friendly, Happy Volunteers at the Western Pool and Spa Show's Xtreme Education--You Guys ROCK!--Love those smiles!!

We took our CPO class to the Xtreme Education event at the Long Beach Convention Center this past Tuesday and Wednesday, November 10-11.  We loved volunteering two days to this Xtreme Education school, produced by the Western Pool and Spa Show.  The staff and volunteers at the WPSS share our passion:  to raise the standards of the pool service industry through education.  Other educators were there, as well:  Pentair, Hayward, onBalance, Jandy/Zodiac, RayPak, Arrow Insurance, Intuit (Quickbooks), and others teaching about growing and improving your business.

Sunrise in Long Beach, California!

We had a great time…  in a neat city …. with great weather and … and great scenery. Here are a couple of pictures of a beautiful sunrise in Long Beach from our hotel room–awesome!!

The Promenade and Harbor at sunrise in Long Beach, CA.

As we departed our hotel, we were  riding down the elevator and an elderly gentleman entered on one of the floors.  On the ride down, we exchanged the customary greetings, “Good morning.  How are you doing?”  We then made a comment,  ”It’s a lovely day.”  His response was a surprise, but very appropriate:  ”Aren’t they all!”  Yes, here in Southern California, the weather is terrific — everyday.  It IS paradise.  We are blessed to be here — and hope and pray that we do not ever take it for granted.

The Long Beach Convention Center is a beautiful facility and the staff were very attentive to all our needs–from AV equipment to ice water–thank you!!  And thank you Western Pool and Spa Show for letting us participate in Xtreme Education–it was a privilege being there!  Can’t wait to do it again at the WPSS show in February!

The Place to Be -- at Xtreme Education!

Return to Riverside - November 6-7, 2009

Thanks for hosting us E.J. Wamsley!

SCP PoolCorp, Riverside, CA / E.J. and Steve

We were at the Riverside SCP facility just six months ago and were reminded again this weekend what a truly nice facility it is!  E.J. and his staff are committed to excellence–and it shows in every corner of the facility and in the friendly atmosphere within.

More good news! - Our classroom in their upstairs meeting room was full!  We had seasoned pool guys there,  some people  just starting in the business,  a few from nearby public school districts, and a representative from a private swim school.  Thank you all for your time and effort in attending our class to learn more about the health and safety of recreational swimming pools!

The tragic accidents of children drowning was discussed, and it was stated a couple of times in class that “one entire pre-school class is lost to drowning every year in Orange County alone!”  Based on a pre-school class size of 7 or 8 children–that is truly a horrifying and tragic analogy to think about, especially in light of the fact that drowning  IS 100% preventable.

Here are a few facts: (as stated in the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act:  H.R. 6-303, Section 1402):

1. Of injury-related deaths, drowning is the second leading cause of death in children aged 1 to 14 in the United States.
2. In 2004, 761 children aged 14 and under died as a result of unintentional drowning.
3. Adult supervision at all aquatic venues is a critical safety factor in preventing children from drowning.
4. Research studies show that the installation and proper use of barriers or fencing, as well as additional layers of protection, could substantially reduce the number of childhood residential swimming pool drowning and near drownings.

Check out a safety tip that we posted back in May 2009:   APP_Safety _Tip_May2009.

Click here to read the Orange County Health Care Agency’s Drowning Fact Sheet:  OCHCA_Drowning_FactSheet

Test Time in Riverside

Thank you E.J. and all of PoolCorp for promoting a safer and healthier swimming pool!   You saved a child’s life today!

And our appreciation goes to Kyle Maddox, for once again opening and locking up the facility for us on his personal Saturdays.   Thanks so much, Kyle!–you rock!

First Class in Canoga Park, October 9-10, 2009

We held our CPO class in Canoga Park for the first time at Pool Corp’s SUPERIOR Pool Supply distribution center this past Friday and Saturday, October 9-10, 2009.

Elise getting everything set up in Canoga Park.

What a GREAT venue!  Canoga Park’s Branch Manager, Dave Huber, and his crew provided us with the entire second floor of their building!…..0pen space, plenty of tables and chairs, and a separate area for our hospitality layout.  Thanks a lot guys.  We hope you will have us back!

Our students were as diverse as ever:  independent pool guys, builders, a pool operator from a nearby major water park, and an aquatics facility manager from the City of Malibu — all participated, gave good feedback and did well.  We had a good time.

A special thanks to Robert Sanders and Operations Manager, Tom Green, for opening up early and staying after closing to accommodate us.

Hey, Tom--Is That You?

After class ended on Saturday,  we had the privilege to spend some time chatting with Tom for a while.  We asked for his picture, but discovered he is extremely camera shy.  We also learned that he is a die-hard Philadelphia Eagle’s fan.  So we did a bit of research — and may have found his picture anyway …….

GO EAGLES !!

Home Base In Orange, September 25-26 2009

Elise Keeping up with the Gobblers!

Our CPO classes at the SCP Orange location just keep getting better!  It was quite a lively group — 13 guys.  And nine of the thirteen were from a single hotel facility.  They were all co-workers — jab’n and jive’n each other throughout both days.   They did quite well in the class - contributing, asking great questions and doing very well on the test.  We all had a BLAST and laughed a lot!

Elise was workin’ hard to keep up with their hearty thirst and appetites!

Now -- How big is this filter?

The first day of class is always pretty exhausting for the students.  We go over all the formulas, calculations and everything you want to know about pool water chemistry — plus a bunch of other stuff.

Then at about 5:30 p.m. — all go home WITH homework.   Its fun to hear the stories the next morning — some students are dads with grade school/high school kids that poke fun at them — for “dad” having to do homework!  – and in some cases needing help, too!!

Thank you IPSSA and SCP!

Again, we want to thank SCP (PoolCorp)  for allowing us to hold our classes at their facility and IPSSA for enabling us — without them we could not do it!

It was over 100 degrees in Orange both days, and we had a bit of A/C problems in the afternoon….but with two big industrial fans, we made it through okay.  Thanks, Matt, for coming to our assistance!

Hey Matt? Where's your SCP work shirt?

Stan Kim, thank you for setting up for us Friday morning. And Matt Semonza, thank you for taking your personal time to lock and unlock the facility for us and for keeping an eye on us.

We snapped Matt’s picture with Steve outside the teaching facility, too!  Next time–we’ll get a picture of Stan–so get ready Stan!!

Full-House In San Diego September 11-12

We had a full classroom in San Diego this past Friday and Saturday, September 11-12, 2009 — in fact we had to turn a few away and re-schedule them for future classes!

Teach'n - Learn'n and have'n Fun!

A majority of the students were from the pool service industry, commercial and residential.

Some other students were in commercial management, overseeing their facility’s public swimming pool.  They wanted to know just what their pool service company was doing (or not doing) to ensure that their pools were healthy and safe for public use.  By the end of class,  all these managers felt very comfortable and well-informed enough to quiz and ask intelligent questions of their pool guy!  Maybe one question to ask them is: “Are you a CPO?”  And a follow-up if the answer is ‘no’: “Why not?”

The classes are always enjoyable and fun, with great feedback.

Elise worked especially hard hauling all the stuff up to the second floor and setting up the classroom and breakfast/refeshment table.

Our Breakfast and Refeshment table

Our host, SCP-San Diego was very gracious–as always.  We want to thank Branch Manager, Brett Devanna,  and Regional Manager, Lenny Maffei, for their ‘open house’ attitude to us and to our students.  A special thanks goes to Operations Manager, David Ogren, for coming back Saturday afternoon and locking up for us.

Thanks again, guys!  You’re helping us educate the pool industry one class at a time–and we couldn’t achieve this goal without you PoolCorp!

Brett and Steve - and their morning coffee

11 more in Orange, August 21-22

Eleven More Students in Orange, California learning how to operate an Aquatic Facility

We nearly had a full house in Orange, California this past Friday and Saturday, August 21-22.  I am always amazed at the various and wide variety of backgrounds of the students in our classes.  This class was especially interesting.  Of course, we always have the veteran pool guys.  They are always great and contribute quite a bit to the class — thanks guys!  We also had an realtor broker, who did quite well in the realty business, but got out before the bust.  He is now looking at the pool service industry as his next venture.   We also had two capital investment gurus — they have been studying the pool service industry for the past several months — they think its a very viable business and just wanted to learn the ‘nuts and bolts’ of it.  They are looking to “buy big” into the industry — they just need to find the right company/organization.  As we were finishing up the first day, a comment was made:  ”Do pool guys really know all this stuff?”  – The answer is NO! — You are going to know it only if you want to know it.  And I believe you NEED to know it to succeed in this business.  I think the days are numbered when all you need is a truck, a pole and a bucket of chlorine to be a pool guy.

Elise and I wish to thank Matt Semonza, Branch Manager-Orange and Stan Kim — Thanks again for hosting us and for your generous hospitality — you guys are great!