July 1, 2009
According to PoolSafety.gov, each year nearly 300 children under the age of five drown in residential and public pools and spas. Submersion incidents requiring emergency-room treatment or hospitalization number in the thousands and many victims experience permanent disability, including brain damage. Few people know of the hidden dangers from drain or suction entrapments; drains with broken, missing, or faulty covers can entrap hair, the body, limbs, jewelry and clothing, or cause disembowelment/evisceration.
Drains can cause such a danger that the The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, a child safety law, was enacted to help ensure that all public spas and pools have ASME/ANSI A112.19.8-2007 compliant drain covers installed and a second anti-entrapment system installed, when there is a single main drain other than an unblockable drain. This will help to enhance the safety of public pools/spas, encourage the use of layered barriers, and reduce drowning and drain entrapments to name just a few.
At InstantAmber, we want everyone to have a fun and safe Summer. We have compiled a list of important Swimming Pool Safety Tips for Children. We hope that the information is just as useful for your family as it is to ours. Enjoy the Summer with your family, but please make sure to follow a few child safety tips to ensure that everyone is safe!
1. Always watch your children when they are near water or swimming. A child can drown in just seconds, so it is imperative that your children are always attended and supervised by an adult.
2. Make sure that your children obey posted safety rules. If there are no posted rules, use common sense, i.e. no running around pools, no excessive horseplay in or near the water, life jackets (PSDs) for novice swimmers, etc.
3. Ensure that the pool or spa has compliant drain covers; inform your children to avoid all drains.
4. Make sure a parent is CPR certified. Once certified, remember to become recertified every two years. Find out more about classes and locations through The American Heart Association's Website.
5. Swimmers should never rely on rafts, "floaties" or noodles for safety; instead rely on your swimming skill. When in doubt, use a life jacket.
6. Do not permit your children to dive in shallow water. Serious injury, including paralysis and death can occur from accidents resulting from diving in shallow water. Make sure that diving occurs only in the "deep end" of the pool and then only if the deep end is at least 9 feet deep.
7. Make sure that access to swimming pools is secure. Keep safety gates closed (and locked where appropriate) and check to see that pool and spa covers are securely fastened and locked (if applicable).
8. Do not swim or allow your children to swim if you hear thunder or see lighting. A good rule of thumb is to suspend all swimming for at least 30 minutes following the last thunder rumble or lightning strike.
9. If swimming in a lake, pond, swimming hole, river or stream, be sure that both you and your children are aware of hidden (underwater) hazards that could lead to injury. Never dive into unfamiliar water.
10. If swimming at the beach, be sure that your children do not venture too far from shore. Additionally, be aware of any advisories regarding currents or tides/riptides.
Other Resources:
American Academy of Pediatrics
US Consumer Product Safety Commission
Pool Safety Council
ABC Pool Safety
