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Pool Safety

House Doctor | Gary Dymski

June 22, 2000

NOTHING WASHES away that parched summer feeling like a dip in a swimming pool. In fact, summer seems incomplete without that mix of splashing, sparkling water and children's laughter.

But the pool can be a source of tears, too. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 350 children under 5 drown in pools each year, and 2,600 more children are treated in hospitals for pool-related accidents. The majority of these cases are related to residential swimming pools.

"That's almost one child's death each day," says Mark Ross, a spokesman for the commission, which rates thousands of consumer products and reports on a variety of safety issues. "It's a tragedy we believe can be prevented."

Last year, about 6,000 in-ground pools (vinyl liners and gunite) were built on Long Island. If you're one of these new pool owners, or you know someone who is, you should take a few precautions. Many of these involve common sense and a firm set of rules.

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A good place to start formulating a safety plan is the CPSC, which annually studies swimming pool safety and reports on several models of pool-related safety devices available on the market. Each year, Ross says, the study reaches some of the same conclusions.

"We always find that there is no foolproof method for preventing children from drowning" when they have access to a pool, he says.

"The best prevention is layers of protection, things like fences and gates with childproof latches, an electronic barrier that covers the pool when it's not in use and underwater alarms and safety bracelets that fit on children's wrists."

Some households might not be able to afford the more expensive layers, such as the motorized metal-type barriers that can cost thousands of dollars. Local building departments, however, will require that the yard or pool area be enclosed by a fence, usually a minimum of 4 feet high, with a childproof latch. (These latches also can be locked with a common padlock.) But every pool owner should be able to afford the most important protective layer: parent supervision.

"Constant supervision is crucial because most of the accidents happen when children are not expected to be in the pool," Ross says. "They might be playing near the pool or enter the pool area unexpectedly."

Longtime in-ground pool owners Tony and Dianne DiFiore of Lake Grove never allow their boys, Anthony, 16, Michael, 11, and Christopher, 8, or their children's friends to swim unsupervised.

"Never, ever," says Dianne, who has owned four homes, all with pools (including three in-ground pools). "We always stress keeping an eye on them, because once you turn your head, once you leave them alone, that's when they might do something they're not supposed to."

Tony, whose company specializes in wiring homes for sound and security systems, plans to take watching a step further soon. He is installing video cameras so he and his wife can watch the pool area on monitors from their kitchen.

Dianne says her pool rules include no diving in the shallow end and no jumping on other swimmers.

The DiFiores also have a lock on their fence gate and a special lock on the sliding patio doors that lead to the pool area. These locks only allow the door to be opened a crack, so tiny bodies can't slip through. The locks are installed on the top portion of the door track, out of a child's reach, and provide another layer of protection.

When adults are away, the DiFiores' rule is that the pool is "off limits." So far, she says, her children and their friends have adhered to this rule.

The CPSC offers plenty of advice on pool safety at its Web site (www.cpsc .gov), including recommendations on pool safety devices. Commission publications designed to prevent children's drowning include "Safety Barrier Guidelines for Pools," "How to Plan for the Unexpected" and "Guidelines for Entrapment Hazards: Making Pools and Spas Safer."

To request copies, write to: Pool Safety, CPSC, Washington, D.C. 20207.

Seven Steps to Poolside Saftey

HERE ARE some of the commission's guidelines for pool safety:

Fences and walls should be at least 4 feet high and installed completely around the pool. Gates should be self-closing and self-latching, with the latch out of children's reach.

Doors leading from the house to the pool should be equipped with alarms that sound when the door is opened. These alarms, which can be purchased at hardware stores and home centers, can alert adults that a safety barrier around the pool has been broken.

Remove steps and ladders from above-ground pools when the pool is not in use.

If a child is missing, look in the pool first. Every second is vital when preventing death or injury from drowning.

Keep rescue equipment near the pool, including a phone for emergency calls.

At least one adult should know CPR, and children should know how to swim or stay afloat in deep water.

Electric pool alarms, the types that sense underwater activity, can be an effective safety precaution. These devices should have remote alarm receivers that can be heard inside the house or in places away from the pool area.