Summer means more time spent in family and community swimming pools and hot tubs, where the risks of drowning or entrapment are always present. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently launched its “Pool Safely” campaign to encourage water safety for children and adults alike.
As many experienced San Diego child accident attorneys have seen, drowning or near-drowning causes many deaths and injuries each year. The CPSC estimates that 75 percent of all drownings or near-drownings in swimming pools and hot tubs involve children under age 15. To keep those you love safe this summer, consider the following tips:
- Always supervise children when they are in or near a pool or a hot tub. Children should never go in the water alone.
- Teach children basic water safety tips, such as how to stay away from pools and other bodies of water, to ask permission before swimming, and how to swim and float safely.
- Keep swimmers away from pool drains, pipes, and other openings so that they don’t accidentally become entrapped.
- Keep a cell phone or cordless phone handset near the pool at all times, so you can call 911 quickly in case of sudden emergency.
- Make sure the pool and hot tub areas are fenced in. Consider installing alarms on doors and fences leading to the pool, so you will be alerted if a child opens one to enter the pool area.
- If you’re searching for a missing child, check the pool first. The difference between a life lost in a drowning and a life saved from drowning can be a matter of seconds.
