Pool safety is vital

12/05/2011

Frank Granger, Applecross

Comments:

CHILDREN accidentally drowning in home swimming pools can be prevented.

There is an easy and not expensive way to stop the unnecessary death of children through drowning.

In 1962, I built a large swimming pool in my new home in Applecross.

We had a young family and I was determined they would learn to swim at a young age. It was easy – we bought a few kids life jackets.

Our family got used to the idea very quickly – no life jacket and you are not allowed inside the pool fence.

This was a strict rule applied to visitors’ children as well.

Our kids could swim well and truly before they went to school, as did a lot of our friends’ kids.

As we had one of the first private pools in Applecross, a lot of the local kids learnt to swim in it with a life jacket.

Our daughter, later in life, applied the same practice with her kids and visitors’ children with her pool.

One of the factors in deciding to build a pool – to have our kids swim at an early age – was that my wife lost her brother in a drowning accident when he was just nine.

Needless to say, neither my wife nor her brother could swim.

Another thing I believe in is to follow the belief of our great swimming coach Laurie Lawrence and teach your kids to swim when they are babies.

Even if you do not have children and have a pool, go out and buy a couple of children’s life jackets.

If my letter saves one life, the time I have taken to write it makes life worthwhile.

New safety measures at Harpenden Swimming Pool

St Albans City and District Council has installed an underwater camera safety system at Harpenden Swimming Pool as part of ongoing measures to help improve pool safety.

The operation and safety of all Council-owned pools is regularly looked at and it has been decided that to improve systems a PoolView Drowning Prevention System will be installed. This devise is designed to help reduce the risk of injury and drowning.

This technology is in use in many public swimming pools around the country and is gradually becoming a standard pool safety measure. The system uses an underwater camera to relay images to a monitor attached to the lifeguards' chair. It helps the lifeguards to provide an even better service while on poolside and will give swimmers additional peace of mind.

The lifeguards' monitor displays eight underwater views allowing them to observe the full water volume within the pool as part of their normal lifeguarding procedures. As is standard practice, images are protected and managed in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

Councillor Mike Wakely, Portfolio Holder for Sport, Leisure and Heritage at St Albans City and District Council, said: "As a council, we take the safety and security of our customers very seriously and this new system will help improve safety at Harpenden Swimming Pool by enabling the lifeguards to monitor activity within the pool effectively."

Scott Machen, Contract Manager, at Leisure Connection, the company which manages Harpenden Swimming Pool on behalf of the Council, said: "This new system will give the lifeguards extra visibility on what is happening in the pool and will help them protect customers from any risk of injury or drowning."

A similar pool system will also be installed at the new Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre which is due to be completed in late 2012.

Photo courtesy of Meesho's flickr stream

Source: http://www.harpendenpeople.co.uk/New-safety-measures-Harpenden-Swimming-Pool/story-13910949-detail/story.html

Infant Swimming Resource Recommends Water Safety Precautions During the Holiday Season

Holiday festivities can lead to a breakdown in regular parental supervision routines

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov 16, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Infant Swimming Resource (ISR, www.infantswim.com ), the safest provider of survival swimming lessons for babies and toddlers from six months to six years old, suggests these winter water safety reminders to help families protect their young children in and around the water while traveling or entertaining guests this holiday season.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 1 to 4.

"Holiday travel and distractions can lead to a breakdown of normal supervision routines. As a drowning prevention resource for your family, ISR recommends a multi-layered approach to water safety all year long," said Harvey Barnett, Ph.D., founder of Infant Swimming Resource. "It is important for parents to understand that, even if children have had swimming lessons, no child is drown-proof and it is important that water safety remains top priority at home or while traveling."

Holiday Safety Reminders:

1. Initiate Active Supervision

The most critical line of defense against drowning is adult supervision. No level of aquatic skill can replace active supervision. If your child is ever missing, look in the water first.

2. Educate Family & Friends

When traveling to relatives' and friends' homes, they may not be aware of the importance of keeping gates closed, doors locked, closing toilet seats, emptying buckets, etc.

3. Investigate Your Surroundings

Familiarize yourself with potential hazards in a new environment, i.e., landscaped ponds and water features, doggy doors, etc. Watch one mother's story who lost her precious two-year-old son and has turned a terrible tragedy into a way to help others http://www.isrcrossfit.com/sterling/ .

4. Test Pool Fences

Examine the pool area and its surroundings, double-check that there is a permanent 4-sided fence with a self-locking gate. Ensure that the pool fence is at least 3-5 feet from the pool edge, and at least 4 feet high.

5. Watch for Decoration Hazards

Inspect lights, electrical cords and decorations around water. Ensure that no outside decorations provide a means for a child to climb over a fence or open a locked gate.

6. Maintain Pools & Hot Tubs

Keep pools well maintained with clear water even if it is too cold to swim. If your child falls in, he or she can be seen and helped faster. Pool covers need to be drained of accumulated rain water and free of debris.

7. Add an Extra Layer of Protection - Survival Swimming Lessons

A moment's inattention does not have to cost a child his life. ISR's Self-Rescue(TM) swimming lessons are an added layer of protection that teach children how to save themselves should they reach the water alone. ISR offers the safest and most comprehensive survival swimming program in the world, please visit www.infantswim.com to find the Instructor closest to you.

8. Learn to Perform CPR

If an emergency happens, it is essential that parents and families are prepared. Learn to perform CPR on children and adults and remember to update those skills regularly.

For more information about water safety for your home visit: http://www.infantswim.com/water-safety/

And be sure to follow our daily Splash Zone Blog, Twitter feed and Like us on Facebook for frequently posted water safety tips and news:

Splash Zone Blog - http://www.infantswim.com/blog/ Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/InfantSwimmingResource Twitter - http://twitter.com/infantswim

About Infant Swimming Resource

Founded in 1966, Infant Swimming Resource (ISR), with its Self-Rescue(TM) program, is nationally recognized as the safest provider of survival swimming lessons for infants and young children. With a primary focus on safety and effectiveness, and as the world's leading behavioral science based instruction program, ISR is the only choice for parents who are dedicated to their child's safety, education and developmental demands. ISR's worldwide network of highly qualified, certified Instructors has successfully delivered over 7 million safe lessons to infants and young children, which have resulted in nearly 800 documented cases of children utilizing ISR's survival techniques to save their own lives. For more information on ISR, water and swimming safety, or to find an Instructor in your area, please visit www.infantswim.com .

SOURCE: Infant Swimming Resource

                 Infant Swimming Resource          Melody Callaway, 720-939-0476          m.callaway@infantswim.com            

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