Surefire tips to keep children safe around swimming pools

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Surefire tips to keep children safe around swimming pools

Swimming and lounging by the pool are some of the great joys of summer, but

homeowners need to take precautions to ensure that children, grandchildren and

visitors are safe.

Drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death for children under the

age of 5 in the U.S., and each year thousands are treated in hospitals for

drowning and near-drowning.

On Staten Island, there were two drowning incidents in Tottenville involving

toddlers just last month. One child died; the other is now recovering.

“It can happen anywhere, in ordinary neighborhoods and it can happen to

caring, vigilant parents,†says Marcia Kerr, an investigator for the U.S.

Consumer Product Safety Commission who lost her own son in a pool drowning

accident.

“Homeowners should take steps immediately to ensure the safety of children who

live in or visit their homes. Layers of protection are essential.â€

Stuart Roaker, owner of the Pool Therapist, a pool management company that

provides over 200 lifeguards to pools across Staten Island, said homeowners

should not get a pool installed in their back yard unless they are committed to

watching their children constantly.

“The number one rule is to never leave children alone in — or near — a

pool, not even for a minute,†he said.

Roaker said there must be a gate installed around the pool that must be locked

at all times, and there needs to be an alarm that sounds when the gate is

opened. He noted pool alarm technology has advanced in recent years, with some

systems now using sonar to detect any movement on the surface of the water.

“If anything touches the water after the pool is closed, a child or an animal,

the sonar immediately picks it up and the alarm sounds,†he said. “It’s

expensive but you can’t put a price on safety.â€

He added that traditional alarms that sound when the pool gate is opened are

less expensive and can be installed by the homeowner. Pool covers are another

safety option for when the pool is not in use.

Roaker said all children should learn how to swim, and especially children who

have a pool in their back yard. That being said, he noted the biggest mistake

parents make is not supervising their child closely enough because the child

knows how to swim.

“You hear it all the time: ‘My son can swim; my daughter can swim.’Yes,

that’s great, but if the child gets a cramp, or gets tired, or falls and hits

their head, they can drown in seconds. It doesn’t matter if they can swim.

That’s why constant supervision is necessary.â€

Roaker also said never to rely on inflatable “swimmies†to keep your child

afloat.

Anything aside from a U.S. Coast Guard life vest is defective,†Roaker said.

“Anything that is inflatable is defective because it can deflate too fast.â€

And finally, Roaker said it’s important to remember that babysitters are not

lifeguards and lifeguards are not babysitters.

“It has to be someone’s job to do nothing but watch the pool,†he said.

“You can’t be caring for a child while watching a pool at the same time.â€

Here are some tips from the National Drowning Prevention Alliance to help you

identify pool dangers and add proper protections:

*Isolation fencing should separate your pool from your home, either totally

surrounding the pool or enclosing all doors leading from the home. This helps

protect children who get out the door from moving beyond the patio.

*For above-ground pools, a smaller fence and gate surrounding the steps or

ladder can be effective in preventing toddler access.

*Parents of toddlers should keep “doggy doors†locked.

*A telephone should be kept poolside so adults never have to leave the area to

answer it while children are swimming.

*Never leave toys in the pool area, including floating devices such as chlorine

dispensers that look like toys.

*Never allow a child to chew gum while swimming; they can easily choke.

*Keep children away from pool filters. The suction force could injure them or

prevent them from surfacing.

*Post and enforce pool rules: No running, no roughhousing, no dunking and never

swim alone.

*Encourage neighbors to follow pool safety guidelines, including keeping their

back gates and doors locked, and their pool gates securely closed and latched.

*Never dive into an above-ground pool and check the water depth before plunging

into an in-ground pool. Keep clear of the area near a diving board.