Home pools are becoming more common everyday. They provide an excellent means of recreation for your entire family and for your friends a large part of the year. But beware; they are dangerous if not monitored properly. Just how serious is the problem? Drowning is the number one cause of death for children under five in Florida, Arizona, and California with a ranking number two for over a dozen other states. For every drowning there are eleven near drownings according to government statistics; many of which result in totally disabling brain damage. The majority of the parents involved were responsible people who thought it could never happen to their family. They were careful and had close supervision over their children. Many were in good income brackets, educated, and could afford nice homes with pools in family oriented communities. So we are literally talking about people who could live next door to you. If drowning were a disease it truly would be referred to as an epidemic with all the public attention and awareness possible focused on an epidemic of such proportion. You must be aware of the potentially hazardous properties of a pool. An accessible pool can easily be compared to a loaded gun in a child's hands. Eventually it will go off! Only the outcome is uncertain. A study conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to find out how child drownings occur indicates that: SUPERVISION CAN AND DOES FAIL. The investigation by the Commission was directed at the children under age five in Arizona, California, and Florida who had drown in home swimming pools. The result might help you better understand why drowning is still the number one killer for three states and stands at number two for the nation: Who is in charge of supervision at the time of drowning? * 69 percent of the accidents occurred while one or both parents were responsible for supervision. * 10 percent were adults other than the parents. * 14 percent were sitters * 7 percent siblings What was the location of the pool drowning? * 65 percent were in a poll owned by the child's family. * 22 percent at relatives. * 11 percent happened at neighbors. Drownings happen quickly and without warning. There is no cry for help. 77 percent of the children had been seen 5 minutes or less before being missed and subsequently discovered in the pool. Where were they last seen? 46 percent WERE LAST SEEN IN THE HOUSE prior to being found in the pool. Of these, 15 percent were thought to be sleeping. 23 percent were last seen in the yard, porch or patio, not in the pool area. Total of 69 percent that were thought not to be in the pool area. 31 percent were last seen in the pool or pool area. What activity was the person responsible for supervision involved in at the time of drowning? 39 percent were doing chores. 18 percent socializing. 9 percent were busy on the telephone. The pool is a dangerous place. Set strict rules for your children. Even if this is not your regular personality, around the pool, you must be an absolute dictator. Let your children know it is your way
Life Saver of South Texas LLC Owners Dana and Collier Bashara www.lifesaverofsouthtexas.com Fax: 830-228-5144 e-mail: info@lifesaverofsouthtexas.com Copyright 2008