Health District appeals ruling that allows gyms not to have lifeguards
The Southern Nevada Health District filed an appeal with the Nevada Supreme Court, after a judge ruled in favor of a Las Vegas gym about whether the company has to supply lifeguards for its pools.
A notice of appeal was filed April 16 with the Nevada Supreme Court following the decision made by a district court judge, which allowed Las Vegas Athletic Club not to staff its pools with lifeguards.
The original lawsuit was filed after SNHD revoked LVAC’s waiver to monitor pools electronically, along with other gyms in the valley, following the death of 58-year-old Leticia Triplett, who drowned at LVAC’s North Decatur location in February 2024. LVAC lawyers contended Triplett’s cause of death was a heart attack.
In the original decision filed Feb. 25, District Court Judge Timothy Williams said SNHD “acted arbitrarily and capriciously” when it determined last year that LVAC pools are public and not exempt from the state law that mandates such pools are staffed with lifeguards.
Following the ruling, LVAC on April 14 resumed 24 hours a day access to its pools. The pools are monitored electronically.
SNHD declined to comment on ongoing litigation. LVAC didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Contact Emerson Drewes at edrewes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @EmersonDrewes on X.