Water Safety Tips

Unlicensed Pool Contractors Nabbed in California Sting

By AQUA EditorsMarch 18, 2013 15:49 PM

A statewide crackdown on unlicensed general contractors in California last week led to nearly 80 people taken into custody for operating without a license, including those who claimed to be pool contractors. The news was welcomed by legitimate, licensed contractors in the state who operate at a financial disadvantage to contractors working in California's large "underground economy."

The Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT), part of The California Contractors State License Board, partnered with police for stings in Orange, Lawndale, San Bernardino, Chico, Oakdale and Bakersfield. Undercover agents posed as homeowners seeking bids on contract work like painting, electrical work, landscaping, masonry and swimming pool maintenance; most of those caught in the sting advertised their services on Craigslist.

According to California law, a person must hold a license to work on jobs valued at $500 or more, labor and materials included. As one source reported, one man told investigators he would replace pool equipment for $7,500.

As another source reports, of the 78 facing misdemeanor charges for contracting without a licence, 57 may also be charged with illegal advertising and 24 others may be charged with requesting an excessive down payment. Seventeen were issued stop orders. Those convicted of misdemeanor contracting without a license face up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.

However, some of the suspects already have criminal backgrounds. Among those taken into custody included a registered sex offender, a man with a prior conviction of statutory rape and a third on federal probation for bribery.  

Late last month, the CSLB caught eight unlicensed contractors in the San Jose neighborhood. “Front-loading,” or asking for an excessive down payment, was one of the violations found during the sting operation conducted by the SWIFT team. One of the eight unlicensed individuals caught during the sting bid on a patio project asked for a down payment of $7,000, or more than 30 percent of the project, when the legal limit is 10 percent or $1,000, whichever is less.

All eight suspects face misdemeanor charges of contracting without a license, again meaning they face up to six months in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines. Seven face an additional misdemeanor charge of illegal advertising; state law requires that contractors include their license number in all print, broadcast and online advertisements. Those without a license can advertise as long as the ad states that they are not a state-licensed contractor and the combined total of a project’s labor and materials costs is under $500.

In 2012, CSLB investigations resulted in 3,454 legal actions, with a record 1,188 referred to local prosecutors.

AQUA Editors

News: contracting, California

Woman in Sun City Swims 100 Miles to Raise Drowning Awareness

by Eugene Scott - Oct. 7, 2012 08:21 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Nearly 180 children drowned in Arizona in 2011 -- up from 140 in 2010, according to the Children's Safety Zone, an organization that tracks the state's drowning statistics. But a Sun City grandmother is working hard to cut that number.
Kathleen O'Brien Lawrence, 68, has raised about $2,000 benefiting the Valley of the Sun YMCA's drowning-prevention programs over the past three years.
Her efforts have taken her from swimming among the glaciers in Alaska to rivers in France.

Lawrence completed her 100th mile Saturday at the Southwest Valley Family YMCA in Goodyear.
"I'm going to do another 20 for the Y because it's their 120th anniversary this year," she said.
The importance of children learning to swim was first made clear to Lawrence when, as a child, she pulled her 2-year-old sister out of a Minnesota lake before it was too late.

The number of children Lawrence knew who lost their lives to drowning increased as she aged. And the issue was increasingly at the forefront of her mind when she moved to Arizona, which regularly ranks among the top-five states for childhood drownings. Lawrence concluded that she had to draw more attention to the issue.

"You can never take your eyes off the child," Lawrence said. "Children and water don't mix unless there's an adult there."

Lawrence is a member of U.S. Masters Swimming, a national swimming organization for adults. She supports the YMCA because of its commitment to making swim lessons accessible, she said.
Adrianne Sloat, head of the Southwest Valley Family YMCA board of managers, said the organization has always been committed to teaching underprivileged kids about water safety.

"The policy is we don't turn anyone away from any services at the Y for a lack ability to pay," Sloat said. "You should never not walk in the door because you're afraid that you won't be able to afford it."
Lawrence works with local fire departments and children's hospitals to promote drowning prevention and hopes to eventually affect legislation. She wants parents whose children drown due to neglect to be held accountable.

Lawrence, a former triathlete, understands that swimming doesn't come easily for everyone.
Three years ago, she was told she'd never swim again after crushing her left rotator cuff in an accident at home. But Lawrence was back in the pool three months later. She's had seven surgeries over the past two years to repair the injury.

"I would get back in the pool as soon as the stitches healed," Lawrence said. "I've got the lungs of a 21-year-old."

Lawrence, who in 2010 swam across San Francisco Bay from Alcatraz with nearly 50 youths, often does the backstroke while balancing a bottle of Gatorade on her head, a skill she learned on a swim team.
"If I look silly with this orange bottle on my forehead, if I can save one kid's life, it's all worth it," she said.
Angelica Webb, 19, is the swim and dive coach at the Southwest Valley Family YMCA. She said the publicity Lawrence attracts to Arizona's childhood-drowning issue has been invaluable.

"Kids get false faith in their ability to swim," Webb said. "That's the biggest issue. If there's no fear, they're not afraid to jump in. As soon as they're in their 'I know how to swim' phase, that's when you need to watch them most."

Rockville, New York considers pool fence law

Board considers pool fences, home maintenance fees and going paperless.

• By Allison Howe
• Email the author
• October 5, 2012
• 
  

    

Giving pool owners who live on corner properties more leeway regarding fencing requirements was one of several topics discussed at the village trustees briefing session Thursday night.

The current code does not allow for a pool fence to go beyond the width of the house, therefore severely cutting into the space of backyards in some cases.

“We find that homeowners who live on corner properties lose a lot of space, especially when they have pools,” trustee Edward Oppenheimer said. “We want to allow that fence to come out only three feet of the property line, which will give the owner a larger yard.”

Deputy Mayor Nancy Howard agreed, but clarified that keeping children safe from drowning is backyard pools was her main priority.  

A three- or six-month freeze on maintenance fees for homeowners was another building department topic. The board wants to make sure that all work and improvements done on homes is up to code, but they do not want to penalize those who unknowingly bought homes that didn’t have proper permits.

“If the homeowner did the work themselves and they’re trying to sneak it in the back door, I’m not happy,” Oppenheimer said. “But if the homeowner can prove that they bought the house with that addition already there, I’d like to give them a break.”

The village is taking steps to eliminate “surfboard signs,” a popular new type of storefront banner that has already been restricted in the Town of Hempstead. Trustees claim these elongated colorful signs are not aesthetically appropriate and possibly a dangerous distraction to drivers.

In the interest of economy, ecology and efficiency, trustees would also like municipal buildings to become more paperless. They are considering several measures as a step in that direction, which includes having village employees doing more emailing and less photocopying for interoffice correspondence.

Another suggestion was supplying all trustees with iPads or laptops to communicate with each other, instead of leaving memos in each other’s mailboxes. Controller Mike Sussheim said that he will investigate the possibility of securing a state grant for these devices.

“It’s very possible that there may be some grants for this,” he said. “But we need to work quickly and take advantage of the 75 percent grant that might be available right now.”

Oppenheimer said that an inventory should be done of all printers in the village and to train all employees on how to scan documents into PDF or Adobe files. However, he said that in cases where the file is already in electronic form, it is wasteful to print it rather than forward it electronically.

“We need the right company to come in and teach us how to get this done,” he said. “I don’t’ care how it’s done, but I want it done. It’s important.”

After careful consideration and price negotiations, the board also approved bids on four items for the electric department, which include cable and wire, roof replacement, brick façade and step voltage control regulators.

Drowning Signs Aren't Like The Movies

Updated: Wednesday, 27 Jul 2011, 10:47 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 27 Jul 2011, 6:01 PM EDT

• George Richert
• Posted by: Eli George

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - If you picture what you think a person looks when when they are on the verge of drowning, do you see them waving their arms and yelling for help? That might be what happens in movies, but in real life, it's a much different scene.

There are people very close to him who didn't realize a boy was drowning.

Instinctive drowning response educator Dr. Frank Pia said, "This young boy does not have any movement in or out from shore, neither left nor right, he remains in the same position and extends his arms out to the sides. Drowning people don't have a choice; nature tells them what to do."

After 20 years as a lifeguard, witnessing thousands of people close to drowning on Orchard Beach in the Bronx, Dr. Pia captured what he calls the "Instinctive Drowning Response."

"The young boy's mouth is sinking below and re-appearing above the surface of the water," said Dr. Pia.

Most drowning victims can't yell for help because they're having trouble breathing, and their arms are busy grabbing the surface of the water.

But when help arrives, Dr. Pia says, "You'll see the young boy's struggle immediately stop and during the rescue, the lifeguard props him further and further. The further the boy's mouth gets from the water, you'll see his heading turning around, so he's looking for safety. Parents, you have to understand that the struggle of the drowning person lasts between 20 and 60 seconds. Young children struggle less than adults. The drowning movements of a young child can look like they're actually doing the dog paddle in the water when they're actually drowning."

Beware, drowning doesn’t look like drowning!

The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC).

Drowning signs aren’t like the movies: wivb.com

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

• Head low in the water, mouth at water level
• Head tilted back with mouth open
• Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
• Eyes closed
• Hair over forehead or eyes
• Not using legs – Vertical
• Hyperventilating or gasping
• Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
• Trying to roll over on the back
• Appear to be climbing an invisible ladder.

Watch video here http://www.swimmersdaily.com/2012/06/28/beware-drowning-doesnt-look-like-drowning/

Swimming Pool Fencing – A Must for Anyone Building a New Pool

Keep Children Safe and Intruders Out with Baby Guard Swimming Pool Fences

When having a pool installed, one must also have a swimming pool fence.

Safety First

With swimming pool fencing, one can be sure that neighbors and children will be safe. A swimming pool fence will keep small children from wandering away and drowning in the pool. It will also help keep unwanted people from taking a swim while the owners are not around.

Convenience

Pool fences must meet all safety standards. There are companies that specialize in temporary fences for pools. These companies will send employees to set the pool fence up. Once the property owner is ready to install a permanent fence, the company will send employees to take the temporary fence down and remove it from the property.

Regulations

Both the permanent fence and the temporary fence should meet certain regulations. Before a pool can be filled with more than 300mm of water, it must be surrounded by a fence. The fence must not be climbable. There should not be any footholds deeper than 10mm.

The fence must also be at least 1200mm high and should be made with durable materials. Some suitable materials include timber, fibre cement, glass, and steel. As long as the material meets the strength standards and cannot be climbed, it will be suitable for the fence.

The fence must not be close enough to other objects which may make it possible for people to jump the fence. These objects, including trees and balconies, should at least 900mm from the fence. The gap at the bottom should also be small enough that no one can crawl under the fence. The gap must be no more than 100mm.

All pool fences, whether temporary or permanent, require permits and inspections.Above ground pools may also require a fence. If the pool holds more than 300mm of water, a qualified fence must surround it. People who have backyard pools need to register the pools in order to get an inspection and compliance certificate. These certificates are valid for two years for backyard pools. For pools that are being shared at places such as caravan parks, motels, and apartments, the inspection and compliance certificate will be valid for one year.

Baby Guard Swimming Pool Fences help keep children safe and intruders out. Avoid trouble by following all pool fencing laws.

Under Quebec law, municipalities can insist on fencing around all residential pools

Cheryl Cornacchia

The Gazette
Monday, July 16, 2012

ENLARGE

Kids swim in pool which has a security fence installed, sections of the fence can quickly be removed when in use.

A provision under Quebec law gives municipalities the right to create their own municipal bylaws that would require homeowners to install fencing around residential pools not only around the yard where the pool is located.

But no West Island municipalities, in fact, no municipalities on Montreal Island, have used the special provision to draft bylaws that would require owners of older pools to also install pool fencing and, not just fencing around the yard where the pool is located, says Raynald Hawkins of Quebec’s Lifesaving Society.

Kirkland would be a leader if it were to bring in a municipal bylaw requiring homeowners to install fencing around backyard pools that were put in place before July 22, 2010, the date pool fencing is required under the provincial law, Hawkins added.

Hawkins made the comments in a telephone interview about backyard pool safety.

Access to residential pools has become an issue this summer after a spike in drownings, including one in Kirkland, the drowning of an 18-month old toddler in a family’s in-ground pool July 4.

On July 12, two more drownings — that of two-year-old girl in St. Rémi and a two-year-old boy in Ste. Anne des Plaines — brought the total number of Quebec drownings this year to 43 — up from 29 at this date last year.

Even though suburban Montreal is home to some of the most densely-pooled neighbourhoods in Quebec, Hawkins surmised, municipal officials fear a backlash if they were to force homeowners to install new fencing around older pools.

Last week, Kirkland town officials said they are reviewing their existing bylaws requiring only pool fencing around new pools, installed after July 22, 2010, but there are no plans at the moment to change them.

"It takes a lot of courage on a municipality’s part," Hawkins said, citing the cost of new pool fencing.

Hawkins suggested municipal officials could ease the burden of requiring homeowners to install fencing around pools that predate July 2010 by giving pool owners time, say two to three years to install the new fencing.

The new fencing would still improve pool safety for years to come, given that the average life of an above-ground pool is 20 years and, the average life of an in-ground pool is 30 years, said Hawkins.

There are an estimated 220,000 above-ground pools and 80,000 in-ground pools, according to a survey by the magazine Pool & Spa done.

Katy Aquatics to host pool safety program

Posted: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 11:57 pm
Submitted

KATY Aquatics, a local, non-profit swim club, has become a partner of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign. It will host a water safety event on July 26.

The Pool Safely campaign is an effort to reduce childhood drownings, submersion injuries and entrapments.

KATY Aquatics will conduct free swim lessons and water safety presentations. Other activities will include face painting and pictures with Bob the Water Safety Dog. The event begins at 5 p.m. at Cinco Ranch High School natatorium, 23440 Cinco Ranch Blvd.

To register for a spot at the event visit www.katyaquatics.org and go to the Pool Safely Day link. The first 50 children registered for the swim sesson will also receive a free goody bag. All children will receive a free water safety book.

Drowning is a leading cause of death for children younger than 5, and the CPSC estimates that each year nearly 300 children drown and more than 3,200 end up in hospital emergency rooms because of submersion injuries.

The Pool Safely campaign encourages adults to stay close to children in a pool or spa, constantly watch children in and around the water, know life-saving skills - such as how to swim and performing CPR - and install safety equipment in and around the pool.

KATY Aquatics offers the nationally recognized learn-to-swim program, SwimAmerica. The SwimAmerica program is designed to teach children as young as 3 years old, the life-long skill of swimming. For more information on KATY Aquatics contact 281-391-7200 or visit www.katyaquatics.org.

A fence around every swimming pool would help prevent deaths

BY DEBBIE FRIEDMAN JULY 9, 2012 Regardless of age or skill level, no one is drown-proof. Each year in Canada approximately 60 children aged 14 and under drown, while another 140 are hospitalized for near-drowning events.

Quebec has already seen 40 drownings this year, and the summer has just begun. What does this tell us? More importantly, how can we reverse this disturbing trend? As director of trauma and director of the Canadian Hospitals Injury Prevention and Reporting Program at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, I believe the answer lies in the promotion of more concurrent initiatives to prevent trauma-related injuries such as drowning.

 I strongly support the Quebec government’s Residential Swimming Pool Safety Law unveiled in 2010. This law includes mandatory fencing around pools installed after July 22, 2010. However, I fail to comprehend why all municipalities do not have bylaws that would require all backyard swimming pools – not just newly installed ones – to be surrounded by four-sided fencing at least four feet in height, with automatic locking gates and no opening below the fence.

The risk of drowning is the same in a pool built prior to 2010 as in those built after 2010. Since 2008, five coroners investigating drowning deaths have recommended that the province’s ministry of education roll out a Swim to Survive program to promote basic swimming skills to school-aged children. Two of those recommendations came in the past year when seven children aged 5 to 18 drowned in Quebec’s rivers and swimming pools.

This week the government finally vowed to implement this life-saving program for Quebec children in Grade 3. I commend this plan and certainly support it. But what about the children who never make it to Grade 3? According to Safe Kids Canada (safekidscanada.ca), a national injury-prevention program, the majority of drowning deaths among young children involve those under the age of 5. Many of these tragic deaths take place in backyard swimming pools.

 Young children are curious. They do not recognize the potential for danger. And they are impulsive. A warm summer day around a pool is great family fun but vigilant supervision at all times, with all eyes on the water, is essential. A young child can quickly panic and drown. Over the past few weeks, the Montreal Children’s Hospital trauma centre has treated several children under the age of 5 who have drowned in above-ground or in-ground backyard swimming pools.

The new swimming program would have done little to prevent these deaths. The World Health Organization recommends that prevention strategies should be developed using a combination of educational initiatives, environmental measures, engineering modifications and, yes, in some cases, enforcement and legislation. Successful life-saving and injury-prevention ventures often require concurrent initiatives, none of which are mutually exclusive.

The bottom line is that the aforementioned strategies are all needed, and they are needed now.Debbie Friedmanis trauma director of the Montreal Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the McGill University Faculty of Medicine. © Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette Original source article: A fence around every swimming pool would help prevent deaths

Summer Safety Alert: Follow Water Safety Guidelines

JUNE 17, 2012
BY ADMIN

With the summer months here, many nannies and children will spend time in and around water. For this reason, it’s important that parents take precautions when choosing who their children swim with. The International Nanny Association (INA) recently released the following recommendation: INA recommends that children are only to be taken swimming by a nanny if she is a lifeguard, if she has successfully completed a credible water safety and rescue course, or if there is a lifeguard present.

 INA recommends that any child care provider who works in a home where there is a large body of water present be properly trained in water safety and rescue. While to some the recommendation may seem overboard, the 2010 drowning death of a Long Island toddler and nanny in a swimming pool and the 2008 death of a nanny who did not know how to swim but jumped in the water to rescue her charge serve as reminders that when in and around water, it is essential that the caregiver be a strong swimmer who is comfortable around water.

 If a nanny is required or encouraged to take the children in and around water, it is important that the caregiver have the skills and confidence necessary to safely supervise the children in her care. As an INA member, we support INA’s recommendations. In addition, we recommend that when looking for a nanny, parents: Disclose if water play or swimming will be encouraged or required. Ask if the nanny has lifeguard or water safety and rescue training. Ask for proof of current CPR and first aid certification.

Ask if the nanny is comfortable around water. Inquire as to the nanny’s swimming ability. Require the nanny to obtain life guard certification or to take a water safety and rescue course if supervising the children in and around water will be part of her duties and responsibilities. Parents may wish to contribute to or cover the cost of this training should they require it. The warm, summer months are ideal for playing in and around water. Before allowing your child to enjoy water activities with her caregiver, be sure she is qualified to supervise her properly and save her from drowning, should the need arise.

http://www.summernannyjobs.com/blog/summer-safety-alert-international-nanny-association-urges-nannies-parents-and-placement-agencies-to-follow-water-safety-guidelines/

Alert issued about water safety for children

Statement as issued Thursday: INDIANAPOLIS (June 14, 2012) –

Recent drownings have prompted the Indiana Department of Child Services and the Department of Natural Resources to remind parents and guardians to make sure to keep a close eye on children playing in or near water. The reminder comes just days after two Indiana children died due to accidental drowning. When done with proper supervision in the proper places, swimming can be the safe, healthy recreational activity that has helped kids stay cool during hot summer days for centuries. But DCS Director James Payne says even one child’s death due to accidental drowning is too many. “Accidental drowning is something that’s highly avoidable with proper supervision and vigilance,” Payne said.

 While millions of children and adults swim safely without incident, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that accidental drowning is the second largest cause of death among children ages 14 and younger. DNR reports that both last year and the year before, eight Indiana children younger than 17 drowned. So far this year, three from that age group have drowned in Indiana.

 It’s important for parents and guardians to watch what their children are doing in and around the water even when lifeguards are present. “Sometimes having lifeguards can provide a false sense of security that causes adults to let down their guard when watching children,” said Lt. Bill Browne of DNR Law Enforcement, which investigates the state’s drownings. “One lifeguard or a few lifeguards can’t watch everyone at the same time." With more people in and on the water during summer, that’s when most drownings occur. “With boating, pool parties and other summer water activities, the probability of accidental drowning escalates 89 percent this time of year,” said Maj. Mike Portteus, Indiana’s boating law administrator.

 DCS and DNR recommend the following to families with children of all ages so that they can avoid summer fun turning into a devastating tragedy: Never leave children alone when near or accessible to water, and teach children to ask permission before going near a body of water. Never leave a child’s safety around water in the hands of another child. Water safety requires vigilant, adult supervision.

Ensure the entire family has been properly taught to swim well via a certified water-safety program. Many city parks departments offer these programs. Swim in areas with designated life guards on duty. Always swim with a buddy. Have children wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life vest—particularly for children with poor swimming skills—and have a life-preserver on hand. DNR strongly recommends that all family members wear a life vest while boating on Indiana lakes and waterways. Watch for children who have had too much sun, who are too tired, too cold, had too much strenuous activity, or are too far from safety.

Teach children never to dive into oceans, lakes or rivers because they do not know what dangerous structures can lurk under the water’s surface. Indiana Conservation Officer Jet Quillen cautions parents that lakes and rivers pose additional threats. “Kids wanting to cool off in the heat can slip on rocks covered with algae and fall into the water, leading to a tragic consequence.” Quillen also said unpredictable currents in lakes and rivers make swimming particularly dangerous. “Sadly, we lose children each year because they don’t understand the dangers associated with water,” said Payne. “It’s up to parents to teach them to have a healthy respect for the water and watch over them to ensure their safety.”

 DCS is committed to protecting children who are victims of abuse or neglect. The agency’s primary goal is to safely keep these children at home with their families by offering appropriate support services. If safety continues to be a concern, children are placed with relatives or in foster care.

DCS also oversees adoptions from the foster care system and manages the Child Support Bureau. The Kids First Trust Fund, supported by the sale of ‘Kids First’ specialty automobile license plates, subsidizes programs designed to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Indiana Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline: 800.800.5556.
www.in.gov/dcs © Copyright 2012 The Journal Gazette.
All rights reserved.
Neither this material nor its presentation may be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Send items for The Scoop to jgnews@jg.net.

Baby Guard Pool Fence Company

Family’s tragedy prompts pool-safety act in Legislature

By GEOFF PENDER - glpender@sunherald.com


JACKSON -- A grieving mother hopes something positive can come from her family’s tragedy -- improved, statewide regulations for fencing and gates around public and quasi-public swimming pools to prevent children drowning.
“I never want anyone to feel the way I feel,” Lea Montjoy said. “I can’t have my son back, but anything we can do ....”

William Lee Montjoy, 3, of Diamondhead drowned Sept. 25, 2010, at the Pass Christian Yacht Club pool. Authorities said he wandered away from a group of children that afternoon and fell into the pool. That same weekend, another toddler in Jackson County awoke before his parents, got outside and drowned in a pool at the house. Drowning is the second-leading cause of deaths for children in the U.S., on average 1,000 a year.

SUBMITTED PHOTO William Lee Montjoy, 3, drowned Sept. 25, 2010. A pool-safety bill pending in the Mississippi Legislature is titled the William Lee Montjoy Pool Safety Act.

Mississippi House Bill 1281, the William Lee Montjoy Pool Safety Act, authored by Rep. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, would require private clubs, apartment or townhome complexes and homeowners associations to have specific types of fencing around their pools and gates that automatically swing shut and latch. It would not apply to homeowners. It’s modeled after Texas law, and Florida and other states have similar regulations.

The bill passed the House overwhelmingly, then after some changes last week it passed the Senate unanimously. It’s back before the House, which could concur and send it to the governor or call for more work on differences with the Senate.

“I’ve had experience with losing a child,” said Baria, who praised the Montjoy family and friends’ efforts pushing for the legislation. “I know how difficult it is to deal with and how one thing you keep asking is is there something I can do to prevent this from happening to someone else. There is something we can do here.”

Senate changes to the bill include grandfathering of some fences and enclosures and giving those falling under the regulations until the beginning of next year to comply. Sens. Sean Tindell, R-Gulfport, and Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, pushed the bill in the Senate and said some concessions were required for its passage, and that some Senate changes helped strengthen the bill. Baria said he’s still reviewing the Senate changes but is optimistic a strong law will be passed.
Tindell said one key factor was unaltered: pool enclosures will have to have self-closing and latching gates.

“I’ve got a 4-year-old,” Tindell told his fellow senators as he lobbied for the bill. “Last summer, he fell in the pool at my house. It happened so quickly. I didn’t even hear it. I just turned around. It can happen so quick.”
Some lawmakers questioned whether the bill is an “unfunded mandate” to pool owners, but the measure has had overwhelming, bipartisan support, and Tindell said most pools open to the public, tenants or club members already have enclosures that easily can be brought into compliance.

Some areas in Mississippi have building codes that require pool enclosures and other safety measures, and many insurance companies demand such safety features before they’ll cover an organization’s pool. Lawmakers said the Montjoy Act would allow any stricter codes to stay in force but would set a statewide minimum.
“I agree we don’t want an unfunded mandate, but the main purpose of this bill is child safety, and we need to keep the focus on that,” said Sen. Willie Simmons, D-Cleveland.

Lea Montjoy said her family has had an outpouring of community support, with friends starting a “Swing, Latch, Lock” pool safety campaign to put signs on pool gates, a Facebook page and and the William Lee Montjoy Children’s Education Fund through the Gulf Coast Community foundation. She’s also heard from people across the state who’ve noticed pools that don’t have adequate fencing or gates.
“I hope something positive comes,” Montjoy said. “My main goal is to prevent somebody else from feeling like me.”

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2012/04/15/3883849/familys-tragedy-prompts-pool-safety.html#storylink=cpy

7 things you need to know to keep kids safe online

By Dr. Michele Borba
In the past ten years, the amount of time our kids spend online daily has tripled; online screen time has become a regular part of even our younger kids' lives. (Four in ten 2- to 4-year olds and half of 5- to 8-year-olds now use smartphones, video iPods or iPads). Though there are clear benefits, the Internet also poses unique parenting challenges. Fortunately, there are clues that help us monitor our cyber-kids. These seven tips will help you know what to look and listen for – and keep them safer online.
1. Tell kids you will be online and in charge
Explain to kids that you are responsible for their safety and well-being and what they post online represents your family.
What research says: When kids know their parents are monitoring their actions (online and off) they are less likely to engage in risky behavior. Studies also find that those parents who set clear Internet rules are more likely to have kids who adhere to them.
What parents can do: Tell your kids that you will be monitoring their online behavior. Just don’t tell when you will monitor, and how often. Monitoring factors and stealth power depends on your child’s age, social group, maturity and past record of responsibility.
Tip: Use the “Walk By” rule: Emphasize that if at any time you walk by and see your child covering the screen, switching screens, closing programs, quickly turning off the computer, or not adhering to your family rules, pull the plug. End of argument.
Related: Laptop shooting dad explains what he was thinking
2. Learn kid Internet slang
Recognize that kids have their own lingo and abbreviations to warn friends that parents are in the room.
What research says: 95 percent of parents don’t know common chat terms that kids use to warn friends that their parents are in the room.
What parents can do: Learn and watch for slang abbreviations.

Here are a few key terms:

P911: Mom or Dad in room
PA: Parent alert
POS: Parents over shoulder
PIR: Parent in room
PAW: Parents are watching
1,2,3,4,5 (Typing the numerals 1 to 5): Parent reading the screen
3. Be where your kids are online
You can’t monitor what you’re locked out of, so insist that you know all your kids’ accounts and passwords and then set up accounts for yourself as well. Your teen needs to know you are watching (which is monitoring not spying!).
What research says: A teen survey found 56 percent of teens on Facebook gave parents full profile access; but 58 percent of parents don’t have their own profiles on Facebook.
What parents can do: Get accounts for all social networking sites your child frequents. If your kids are on Twitter, you need to be; if your kids have an email account, you must; if they have a Facebook page, so do you. Tell your teen to tell her friends -- and their parents -- that you are monitoring. (You’d be surprised how many teens and their parents appreciate that monitoring!)
Befriend each other. Ask your teen to allow you to become a friend on his or her account. Ask him to help create your page. (Hint: Do not post on your teen’s account without permission, which can be a big turn-off, and do not set up a page without your teen’s approval -- another big turnoff).
4. Keep computers/phones/tablets in public spaces of your home
You can’t monitor your child’s online activities in places you can’t see. Keep your computer in public places you can supervise such as the kitchen, family room, or living room and remove Internet access from the bedroom. You can restrict Web access by calling your carrier and ask how to block Internet access during key times you can’t supervise.
What research says: More than a quarter of teens say they have Internet access in their bedroom where parents cannot monitor and they say they continue to receive texts after lights out.
What parents can do: Set up a “Collect and Drop” space. Remove Internet access from your child’s bedroom. Have your kids and teen drop cell phones, keyboards, iPads or laptops in a designated basket each night -- out of the bedroom. Periodically review personal posts, texts, or emails. Just read enough so your teen knows you are checking. Watch your child’s reaction when you say: “It’s time to check.”
5. Check your child's virtual world
Find out your child’s “virtual persona” (which can be an eye-opener!) to ensure the page, avatar, email name and photos depict respect and may not later be something “regrettable” that could damage his or her reputation, job prospects or even college acceptance.
What research says: 38 percent of parents have never seen their teen’s online profile
What parents can do: Ask your child (and friends) if they have a Web page and watch their reaction. Stuttering, stammering, changing subject are warning signs. Do ask your child to explain her choices (whether positive or negative it’s a fabulous opportunity to find out about your child’s identity). Check your child’s email address and profile periodically together to assure that it connotes respect. If not, suggest it be changed or removed.
Google your kids. “Google” your child’s name often, as well as setting alerts for your child’s contact information. The alerts will email you when any of the searched items are recognized and acts like an early warning system to spot ways your child’s personal information may be exposed to strangers online. At least once a month open up files that your kids have downloaded. At least once a week check the history of sites your child has frequented.
6. Know signs of cyberbullying
If your child is cyber-bullied, he may not tell you due to shame or embarrassment. So know what behaviors to watch for that could indicate online safety issues.
What the research says: 49 percent of kids say they’ve been bullied at least once or twice during the school term, but only 32% of their parents believed them.
What parents can do: Watch for signs that your child may not feel safe online or is possibly engaging in inappropriate online behavior. Red flags include: child spends longer hours online and seems tense about it; suspicious phone calls, e-mails, and plain wrapped packages arrive at your home; your credit card statement lists suspicious purchases; child stops typing, covers the screen, hits delete, shuts down the computer when he knows you’re close; child suddenly stops using cell phone or email, web, social networking devices; child withdraws from friends or wants to avoid school; child is suddenly sullen or shows a marked change in personality or behavior.
7. Start early and keep talking about Internet safety
The crux of safety is communication so if there is a problem -- online or off -- your child will be more likely to talk to you about it. Today’s kids prefer texting over talking, which can cut into parent-kid communication: 11- to 14-year-olds now spend an average of 73 minutes a day texting; older teens texting habits are closer to two hours.
What the research says: A national study found that the harder kids think it is to talk to their parents about online issues, the greater the disagreement over technology, rules and online monitoring.
What parents can do: Use the 5-to-1 listening to talk ratio: Talk one minute and listen for five. Don’t just text: talk. And set up unplugged family zones (kitchen and dining room) to enhance family communication.
Fifty years of child development research shows while there are no guarantees, the best way to reduce risky kid behavior is to strengthen our relationships with our kids. Parents are their kids’ best firewall, so use your influence by monitoring your child both online and off.
Dr. Michele Borba is a TODAY contributor and author of "The Big Book of Parenting Solutions: 101 Answers to Your Everyday Challenges and Wildest Worries." Follow her on twitter @micheleborba.

Prep now for summer pool season

By ROSIE ROMERO
The Arizona Republic
Published: Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 12:52 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 12:52 p.m.
It won’t be long until family barbeques, swim parties and backyard fun become weekly occurrences.

Take time now to make sure that your pool area is safe, your water is sparkling and the motor is running efficiently. Follow these easy steps to a safe and happy summer in your backyard:

Secure the pool. A good fence is essential to safety. Check with your city to make sure you comply with any barrier regulations for the pool.

Also make sure the gate latch fully engages, is lockable and that the self-closing hinges are cleaned, lubed and adjusted. Check that there’s nothing next to the fence for a child to climb over. And check any handrails, slides, ladders or diving boards to make sure they are rust-free and secure.

That said, nothing takes the place of supervision. An adult should always be designated as a full-time lifeguard when children are using the pool. Consider having the lifeguard wear a wristband as a reminder.

Be sure to have rescue and first-aid equipment close by. CPR training is always a good idea.

Check the pool filter. If you have a sand filter, you need to backwash until the water runs clear. If you have a DE filter, it needs to be taken apart and cleaned at least twice yearly (this can be more or less frequent depending on the filter size).

A dirty filter keeps your water from reflecting a beautiful sparkle, and it also makes the pump work harder, costing more to run.

Test for water leaks. The easiest way to track this is to turn off the auto-fill to your pool. Place a 5-gallon bucket on the second step of the pool. Fill it until it is even with the water in the pool.

Watch it for a week; the water in the bucket and the water in the pool should evaporate at the same rate. If you notice the pool-water level is going down, but the water in the bucket is not, you have a leak. Most likely, you will need to contact a pool professional to track the leak. Never let the pool water drop below the tile, as that can cause damage.

Test the water. Make sure the chemical levels are appropriate. You can buy a nice test kit for less than $20, take the water to a pool-supply store or have a professional analyze your pool for you.

The bottom line: Correct chemical levels increase the longevity of your pool finishes. Over time, an imbalance in chemicals can lead to high levels of calcium and acids. If this happens, you may need to drain your pool either partially or completely to help dilute the concentration and get back on track.

Check the pool pump. This might be a good time to have a professional check out your pump. Let the system run a couple of hours before he shows up. If your pool technician deems it necessary to install a new pump, it will need to comply with any state mandates regarding pool pumps.

Examine the plaster. How does your plaster look? The plaster coating on a pool can last seven to 10 years, depending on how well the pool has been maintained. If it is looking stained, consider draining it and having the pool acid washed.

If rust stains are peeping through the plaster from the rebar or gray from the gunnite, it is time to replaster the pool.

Mind the spa. Spas are like pools on steroids — they need extra attention. Four people swimming in a 500-gallon spa is equal to 160 people in a 20,000-gallon pool. Spas get contaminated much more quickly. Also, the warm water in a spa contributes to staining and water hardness at an accelerated rate. Spa owners need to be extra diligent in caring for their water and equipment.

Firefighters Raise Awareness about Drownings

Updated: Monday, 05 Mar 2012, 5:30 PM MST
Published : Monday, 05 Mar 2012, 5:30 PM MST

PHOENIX - Phoenix firefighters went door to door for drowning prevention awareness Monday, after two drowning calls over the weekend, one of them fatal.

About 20 firefighters went on a mission near 35th Ave and McDowell. They do this every year, reminding families to keep an eye on their kids around water.

Sunday, a 1-year-old boy named Danny drowned in his backyard pool. There was no pool fence, and the water was murky. Danny's mother says she lost track of him for a few minutes and then found him when she was taking out the trash.

Phoenix Fire says Sunday's drowning is the first fatal drowning this year, of three drowning incidents.

Last year, they responded to 86 drowning calls -- 22 were fatal.

"As firefighters, these are the most devastating calls that we can ever go on," says firefighter Kelly Liebermann.

"Drownings don't just happen in pools... they also drown in bathtubs, and toilets, two inches of water is all it's going to take."

Phoenix Fire is stressing how important it is to put as many barriers as you can between your kids and a pool -- fences, locks, alarms, and so on.

Online: saverkids.org

West Elgin creates new standards for above ground pool fence regulations

The municipality of West Elgin has amended one of their by-laws, providing new standards for fences around above ground swimming pools.

The issue had been brought forward about the fencing of swimming pools in rural areas of the municipality, and why swimming pools are required to be fenced when ponds, portable pools, and water gardens are not required to be fenced. The old by-law didn’t have any specific regulations regarding above ground pools.

The municipal council decided Jan. 26 to have above ground pools fall under the same swimming pool fence regulations, with some exceptions.

The regulations say that every swimming pool shall be enclosed by a swimming pool fence, which shall extend from the ground to a height of not less than 153 centimetres. The amendments to the by-law say that the swimming pool fence regulations do not apply to above ground pools if the pool wall is equal or greater than 1.2 meters above grade, if a guard not less than one meter high is provided around any platform or deck, if the outside of the swimming pool structure is closer than 1.2 meters to any lot line, and if the point where a person gains access to the pool is protected by a gated enclosure, which meets requirements outlined in the by-law.

“What this does is address the standards for above ground swimming pools,” said Norma Bryant, municipal clerk. “If these standards aren’t met, then they have to have a fence and they have to go through the application process.”

The complete pool fence by-law, and the municipal council agenda from Jan. 26 which outlines the recommended changes, may be found at http://www.elginconnects.ca.



Article ID# 3466328

OC Teen Wins Patent For Pool Safety Device She Invented In 5th Grade

January 26, 2012 6:29 PM
IRVINE (CBS) — A 17-year-old senior at Woodbridge High School is exploring manufacturing possibilities for a pool safety device she invented in 5th grade.

Allison Plette invented Safe Filter after her older sister pretended to be caught in the filter of their family pool.

“She would pretend she was caught in the filter, cause we’d heard about it on the news,” Allison said. “It scared me and she’s an older sister and so that’s what she does.”

Allison used that fear to create Safe Filter, a pool drain safety device that prevents drowning in a pool or spa when hair or a bathing suit strap is caught in the filter. The filter has a blade that cuts any hair that could get caught.


The device won Allison the Greenberg Traurig patent winner at the 2005 Astounding Inventions Competition, held each year at Irvine Valley College. Fast forward seven years, and Allison was awarded Patent No. US 7,996,931 B2.

“She’s the kind of student that goes out of her way to do the best she can,” math teacher Kent Metfessel said. “She’s always had an innovative way to go about things.”

Besides inventing life-saving devices, Allison likes to help people in her spare time. Her pet project is a clothing closet near campus for people who don’t have the proper clothes for job interviews.

“It is a program for disabled adults or financially disadvantaged who are trying to apply for job but don’t have interview-appropriate clothing,” Allison said.

Allison’s parents are now working on finding a manufacturer to explore how viable marketing Safe Filter will be.

Virginia Graeme Baker Pool And Spa Safety Act

Virginia Graeme Baker Pool And Spa Safety Act