Infant Swimming Resource Announces Winter Water Safety Tips for Families This Holiday Season

"ORLANDO, Fla. — Infant Swimming Resource (www.infantswim.com), the safest provider of Self-Rescue™ survival swimming lessons for babies and toddlers from six months to six years old, today announces it’s partnership with the CPSC’s Pool Safely campaign (www.poolsafely.gov). The CPSC’s Pool Safely campaign is a first-of-its-kind national public education effort to reduce child drownings, near-drownings and entrapments in swimming pools and spas.

“Preventing child drownings year round is a priority for CPSC,” said CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “The Pool Safely campaign has sparked a national conversation with parents and children, pool owners and operators and industry professionals about the simple safety steps they can take to protect themselves and their families in and around pools and spas. These incidents are preventable, so our mission is to change the way families think and act about pool and spa safety.”

The holiday season represents the highest probability of distractions and breakdown of normal supervision routines. The following winter water safety tips are a reminder to help families protect their young children as they travel this holiday season.

Winter Water Safety Tips

1. Constant Eyes On (CEO) Supervision - Never turn your back on your child around water. It takes just seconds for him/her to be in serious trouble. Segment the supervision responsibilities so there are never questions about which adult is responsible for watching the child and be aware of the distractions unique to the winter months: holiday parties, house guests, etc.
2. Educate Others - When traveling to relatives’ and friends’ homes, they may not understand the importance of keeping gates closed, doors locked, closing toilet seats, emptying buckets, etc. Visiting family, holiday parties and celebrations can lead to breakdowns in routine supervision and effective barriers to the water. If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first.
3. Decoration Hazards - Decorations and lights can pose problems with young children around the house and water. Watch for lights and electrical cords around water, make sure no outside decorations provide a means for a child to climb over a fence or open a locked gate."
   

Read more: http://www.centredaily.com/2010/12/15/2403146/infant-swimming-resource-announces.html#ixzz18BtGgF4b

Pool Fence Exemption Plea Fails

"WHALE Beach homeowners have lost their Land and Environment Court case against Pittwater Council over pool fence regulations.

The homeowners wanted an exemption from the Swimming Pools Act, which regulates safety in pool areas, including the height of balconies and fences that surround them.

Pittwater Council officers said the swimming pool did not comply with the Act because the fence on a balcony above it is not high enough or, alternatively, another fence would have to be constructed at the base of a staircase leading into the pool area."

Read More: http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/pool-fence-exemption-plea-fails/

Pool Fencing Laws Working for Territory

By Ashleigh Raper

"The Royal Life Saving Society says the latest figures on toddler drownings in the Northern Territory prove pool fencing laws are working - for now.

A new report from the society shows that no children under the age of five drowned in the Territory between July 2009 and June 2010.

Nationally 33 children under the age of five drowned during that period, and almost half of the incidents happened in backyard swimming pools.

The society's Dr Richard Franklin says the Territory has being going against the national trend since strict pool fencing laws were introduced in 2003."

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Hot Weather Prompts Call for People to Check Pool Fences

Press Release: Thames Coromandel District Council

"If it's more than 400mm deep it probably needs to be fenced

Soaring temperatures and the rapidly approaching school holidays have prompted a reminder from Thames-Coromandel District Council that all pool owners need to check that they are conforming with the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987.

TCDC pool inspector Theresa Paul says some people think the rules apply only to permanent in-ground pools but, in fact, they cover every pool with a water depth greater than 400mm. This includes most of the plastic above-ground pools and spa pools, unless they are greater than 1.2 metres in height and non-climbable."

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Hot Weather Prompts Call for People to Check Pool Fences

Press Release: Thames Coromandel District Council

"If it's more than 400mm deep it probably needs to be fenced

Soaring temperatures and the rapidly approaching school holidays have prompted a reminder from Thames-Coromandel District Council that all pool owners need to check that they are conforming with the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987.

TCDC pool inspector Theresa Paul says some people think the rules apply only to permanent in-ground pools but, in fact, they cover every pool with a water depth greater than 400mm. This includes most of the plastic above-ground pools and spa pools, unless they are greater than 1.2 metres in height and non-climbable."

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Coast hotels on notice to fence pools

Anne-Louise Brown

"AFTER dropping prices to counter dwindling tourist numbers, Gold Coast resort and motel operators are now being slugged to make swimming pool fences compliant with new state safety standards.

New laws were introduced across Queensland yesterday and, for the first time, resorts and motels which were previously exempt, have been ordered to comply.

Gold Coast Tourism boss Martin Winter described the changes as "very concerning" and said the matter had been raised with the State Government."

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Pool Laws Open to Cowboy Inspectors

Anne-Louise Brown

"INDUSTRY insiders say cowboy pool inspectors and high inspection fees could undermine the integrity of the State Government's new pool fencing laws, which are being rolled out from today.

More than 20,000 Gold Coast pool owners may have to fork out thousands of dollars over the next five years to comply with new pool fencing regulations."

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Man Fed Up With Pool Fencing Rules

Bill Hoffman

"A SUNSHINE Coast pool owner says he is sorry for parents who lose children through drowning, but the time had come to put an end to over-the-top pool fencing regulations.

Chris Fletcher of Hideaway Waters says new regulations to take effect from next month were ill-conceived and amounted to little more than a new tax."

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