14 Dec, 2011 01:00 AM
HEALTH authorities are warning parents about the dangers of inflatable pools in the lead up to hot summer weather.
A new US study has found that inflatable pools can be more dangerous than large pools because they do not have fences and are often not emptied.
Camden Council acting development and health director Jeremy Swan said even inflatable pools sometimes required a fence.
"Under the Swimming Pools Fences Act, anything that can be filled to a depth of 300 millilitres or more requires a swimming pool fence," Mr Swan said.
The council was not able to police whether inflatable pool owners were following the law, he said, but he knew of only one child drowning in the past 10 years.
The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network has reported a steady increase in drowning incidents over the past couple of years.
There is no Australian data on drowning in inflatable pools at this time.
Kellie Wilson from the trauma service at Sydney Children's Hospital said drowning was a leading cause of death among children under the age of five.
"Any unattended amount of water can be a danger to young inquisitive children, from a half empty bucket of water, to a backyard swimming pool," she said. "We urge parents to closely supervise their children at all times, learn basic CPR and teach children how to swim from a young age."
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