trying to implement a peanut-free zone

Hi Chris -
Here's the letter my son's principal sent to parents in his class. I'll change it to apply to the lifeguard situation. Perhaps you can offer this as a starting point -
Dear ,
One of the lifeguards in our fitness facility has a severe allergy to peanuts. Strict avoidance is the only way that he/she can avoid this life-threatening allergic emergency.
Even minute exposure can cause a severe systemic allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is most commonly seen as a hive-like rash and/or difficulty breathing. It can affect various organ systems with the esophagus tightening and possibly closing. Our facility has an emergency protocol in place in the event an allergic emergency arises.
Here at the fitness center, we take an active role in managing the allergy, but we need your help. In an effort to pemit our lifeguard to continue to work here in safety, and to participate fully in all the activities we offer, we ask that you not bring foods or products containing peanuts into the facility.
Food allergies are becoming more common. With your help, we can achieve our goal of providing our lifeguard with a safe work environment. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and assistance.

If you go to [url="http://www.cgocable.net/~cmr/hapg"]http://www.cgocable.net/~cmr/hapg[/url] (Chris I think that you have this listed as my home pg.) then click on On line articles & info then click on Sample Letters to Parents, you will have a few letters (school samples) that may be helpful.
[This message has been edited by Coco (edited April 07, 1999).]

Excellent letter. FAN also has a sample letter for back to school with food allergies. I would like to make one correction though, it is the trachea(windpipe) that closes up not the esophagus. The closure of the airway in children is particularly dangerous as resistance increases 16 fold if the diameter of any tube is cut in half. This is pouselle's law from physics.