Playing It Safe

Summertime means prime swimming season. But with the fun comes increased danger.

The young and the elderly are especially at risk. In California, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children 5 years old and younger. Nationwide, about 800 people drowned in 1995, 300 of them 4 and younger.

Earlier this month, two people drowned in separate accidents in the San Fernando Valley. On July 3, 4-year-old Daniel Zapata was found face down at the bottom of his family’s backyard pool in San Fernando. Two days later, Torunbo Onotade, 25, was found unconscious at the bottom of a swimming pool at a Granada Hills board-and-care home.

All newly constructed pools, spas--and even fish ponds deeper than 18 inches--in the city of Los Angeles are required to have either a barrier fence or hard-wire alarms on doors leading directly to the body of water from the interior of the house, according to Kip Kennedy, a building mechanical inspector with the city’s Department of Building and Safety.

Statewide, pools built after next Jan. 1 will need to have a fence, cover or other safety device. And someday, pool alarms that monitor water activity may be required.

Last month, Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson proposed that all pools within city limits be required to have an alarm that would sound if someone entered the water unexpectedly. The city’s Building and Safety Department, which is studying the proposal, expects to report back to a City Council committee shortly.

Pool safety laws--coupled with greater public awareness--appear to be making a difference. And this summer is off to a better start than normal.

“After Easter, [the drownings] start happening, but something is different this year,’ said Billie Weiss, director of the county’s Injury and Violence Prevention Program. “We’ll have to see if it holds.’

Even though drownings have decreased, pool owners and users must be diligent about safety. Here are some tips for making the pool season safer.

Prevention at the Pool

* Install several types of barriers, including a four-sided fence with self-closing gate, pool alarm and locked pool cover to give maximum protection, even if no children are living in the house.

* Keep rescue equipment on hand, including life preserver rings with 50-foot lightweight line attached, life jackets and shepherd’s crook.

* Ask an adult swimmer who knows CPR to supervise children under 12. The American Red Cross and local hospitals offer CPR classes.

* Have a cordless phone at poolside, in case of emergency.

* Keep toys away from pool, especially those a child rides.

* Most drownings occur when a child was last seen in the house or other area of the yard--nowhere near the pool.

* If a child is missing, look in the pool or spa first. It takes only two minutes underwater for a child to lose consciousness. Irreversible brain damage can occur after four to six minutes.

* Screams of a drowning child may not be heard. Children are top heavy and tend to go in headfirst, without resurfacing.

* The city Department of Recreation and Parks recommends lessons for children beginning at age 3. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns that lessons for children under 4 may lead to a false sense of security.

* A few words of caution to adults: Alcohol, drugs and swimming don’t mix. Never swim alone. And limit your time in hot tubs.

Water Rescue

When someone is in danger, the American Red Cross recommends: “Reach or throw, don’t go.’

* Reaching assist: If able to reach the victim, use a long object such as an oar, a paddle, tree branch or towel. Keeping weight low, lean away from victim, lying down or standing with legs bent and feet comfortably spread. Slowly bring victim in, using hand-over-hand grasp on the reaching object.

* Throwing assist: Using a throwing device such as a ring buoy, stay out of the water and stand with one foot forward and one back, keeping weight low. Hold device in dominant hand and hold extra line in other hand. Use underhand toss, aiming just beyond victim.

* Enter the water only after above options have been attempted.

* Information on swimming lessons: Call Valley Region Aquatics at (818) 765-0284 for information on lessons.

* Information on CPR lessons: American Red Cross (800) 627-7000

Drowings in L.A. County

Total drownings in L.A. County

1992

Total drownings: 143

Pool or spa drownings: 73

1993

Total drownings: 134

Pool or spa drownings: 68

1994

Total drownings: 125

Pool or spa drownings: 58

1995

Total drownings: 113

Pool or spa drownings: 54

1996

Total drownings: 95

Pool or spa drownings: 46

1997*

Total drownings: 19

Pool or spa drownings: 10

Countywide drownings by age

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Ages 1992 1993 19941995 1996 1997* Birth to 4 21 35 25 31 17 1 5-19 16 14 13 10 8 3 20-49 67 44 52 37 41 11 50-79 31 28 24 22 21 2 80+ 8 13 11 13 8 2

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* Note: Through May 31; Statistics comprise drownings in all locations including pools, spas, bathtubs, open water & buckets.

Sources: Los Angeles County Department of Health Services; Los Angeles County Department of Coroner, Los Angeles Building and Safety Department, American Red Cross, National Safety Council; Researched by STEPHANIE STASSEL / Los Angeles Times