Swimming pools

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Thousands of deaths occur in or around swimming pools each year. The real tragedy of this is the fact that most of them are quite avoidable.

Death by drowning is the second leading cause of death for American youths under the age of 14. In states like California, Arizona and Florida, drowning is actually the leading cause of death among children under 5 years old.

For those who have not looked into the ways they can make their pool area safer, it may be surprising to find out it’s simple to practice effective pool safety:
• Adult supervision is vital. It is not enough to simply walk out of the house to the pool once every 20 minutes to check up on the kids. The adult who is supervising should not be mowing the lawn or doing anything else that might take his attention from the children. By simply having an attentive adult present, there is a lot that can be done to reduce the risk of death or injury.
• Teach your children by example. Though you may tell your children to never swim without a buddy, the truth of the matter is that if they see you swimming all by yourself, it is very likely they will not heed the advice and warnings given them.
• Stay away from alcohol completely. Because alcohol can dull your senses and alter your perception, it is definitely a dangerous substance that comes into play around the pool. Not only should you not swim when you have been drinking, but you also should not trust yourself to supervise your children while you have been drinking. Alcohol is not something that leads to happy endings when swimming pools and safety is involved.
• Teach your kids to swim. If for some reason something happens to you or your child while in the swimming pools, it can be a life-saver to know that your child is able to swim or at least tread water for a while. There are often classes taught at local pools or recreation centers that can help teach children how to swim.
• Realize the importance of real life-saving devices. All swimming pools should have approved life preservers and life jackets around the pool. These items should be prominently displayed and readily available. Do not rely on things like plastic inflatable tubes and water rings alone. These items are not designed to save lives and could give a false sense of security.
• Don’t dive without knowing the depth – there are many spinal, head and neck injuries that occur each year as a result of diving into a pool of inadequate depth. As a general rule, it is recommended that no diving should take place in the pool unless it is at least 9-feet deep.

By following these rules when you and your children use swimming pools, you will be able to much better understand how to keep everyone in the area safe from potentially tragic accidents.

Virginia Graeme
Baker Pool and Spa
Safety Act

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