THOMAS F. GREGORY

1995 INDUCTION TO THE RHODE ISLAND AQUATIC HALL OF FAME

One of the first Instructor Trainers for the American Red Cross Lifeguarding Program, he currently holds fifteen Traineeships in Water Safety, Small Craft, Adapted Aquatics, First Aid, and CPR. He is also an Instructor Trainer for the US Sailing Association.

He is the first known ARC Volunteer to be given the authority to identify, train and certify Instructor Trainers by the national office. An ARC Volunteer Safety Specialist, Tom’s duties included advising and providing technical support for the volunteer and paid staff in thirty ARC Chapters. He was also the first volunteer to direct an American Red Cross National Aquatic School.

For over twenty years Tom has been involved with numerous Aquatic Schools and Special Needs Training programs. Locally he has taught at the Jewish Community Center in Providence, Warwick’s McDermott Pool, and Cranston’s Budlong Pool. Nationally, he has worked with other trainers from around the country to provide and improve aquatic training. Internationally, in 1988, two were sent from the USA to England to teach water safety, Tom was one of the two.

A City of Cranston Firefighter for 20 years Tom was a member of the Department’s Scuba Team, served on Rescue, and retired as a Lieutenant assigned to a ladder truck.

Tireless in his endeavors, Tom did additional first aid work with the Boston and New York Marathons, was an alternate to the 1984 Olympic First Aid Team, holds National Appointment #6548 for the National Ski Patrol, and was a delegate to the National 4-H Convention for Forestry. Tom is presently Instructor Trainer Supervisor at the Greater Hartford Chapter, ARC, Farmington, Connecticut and is a proud member of the Orpheus Lodge #36, Masons.