Letter from the Chief-Pool Safety
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Heres a tragic statistic- 2,700 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year for near-drowning incidents. And about 300 children under age six drown in backyard pools and spas in the United States each year. People assume if their young child falls into the pool, there will be lots of splashing and screaming, and plenty of time to react. In reality, a child slips into the water and often goes under the surface. These drownings can happen quickly and silently - without warning. This is particularly heartbreaking because drownings are a preventable cause of death and injury for children. By putting proven safety behaviors and systems into practice, you and your family will be much more secure in and around public and residential pools.
Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that you create a pool safety toolkit to have near your pool or spa to ensure that if the worst happens, you are ready to respond. What should be in a pool safety toolkit for your home pool or spa?
A first aid kit
A pair of scissors to cut hair, clothing or a pool cover, if needed
A charged portable telephone to call Halesite Fire Department: 631-427-7250
A flotation device
These are safety steps you can adopt at your residential pool or spa:
Always watch your children when they are in or near a pool or spa. No kidding- ALWAYS.
Teach children basic water safety tips
Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapment's
If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first
Share safety instructions with family, friends and neighbors
Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim
Learn to perform CPR on children and adults, and update those skills regularly
Understand the basics of life-saving so that you can assist in a pool emergency
Install a four-foot or taller fence around the pool and spa and use self-closing and self-latching gates; ask your neighbors to do the same at their pools.
Install and use a lockable safety cover on your spa.
If your house serves as a fourth side of a fence around a pool, install door alarms and always use them. For additional protection, install window guards on windows facing pools or spas.
Install pool and gate alarms to alert you when children go near the water.
Ensure any pool and spa you use has compliant drain covers, and ask your pool service provider if you do not know
Maintain pool and spa covers in good working order
Consider using a surface wave or underwater alarm
Parents and guardians remember; being present while your child or children are in the water isn't enough. You must give them your full attention while they are swimming and playing. In an age where we are attached to our digital devices, the time you take to check an email is just enough time for this sort of disaster to strike.
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