Making Pools Safe for Kids

The overdue return of warm weather brings with it joys and potential heartache. Each year, Orange County faces a fresh need to educate residents about the dangers of swimming pools for young children.

The season opened with reminders of the perils early this month. A 2-year-old boy died after falling into a backyard hot tub in Laguna Niguel June 6. On June 7, a 13-year-old girl died after being retrieved from a pool at an Anaheim hotel.

In the case of the toddler, the accident followed an all-too familiar pattern. He had last been seen inside a house, and then disappeared. The question was whether he opened a sliding glass door or wandered through one that was open.

The incident was a reminder of the need for steps to address the problems for small children in the neighborhood or along the waterfront. Toward this end, Orange County fire officials have launched their important annual pool safety campaign.

Such efforts appear to have been paying off. In 1993, Orange County led the nation in child drownings, a regrettable distinction. The Orange County Fire Authority and others repeatedly have issued reminders for parents and caregivers.

Last year, seven children under 6 drowned in Orange County, a considerable drop from earlier in the decade. But child drownings are termed a “100% preventable” problem by Capt. Scott Brown, spokesman for the authority. He has the right target in mind: “zero drownings.”

Much of this is about common sense and alertness. With 108,000 pools in Orange County and a vast waterfront, there’s plenty of need for watchfulness. The challenge is considerable given the high number of pools and the proximity of the ocean, which is accessible through so many points.

In many cases, preventing young children from gaining access to poolside can go a long way.

Officials stress the importance of four-sided fences around pools with self-closing gates, pool alarms and locked pool covers. Other important measures include rescue equipment, supervision by an adult swimmer who knows CPR, and access to a phone.

Constant vigilance is the key. The annual Child Drowning Prevention Campaign this year targets pool owners. The campaign, announced recently by the fire authority and Children’s Hospital of Orange County, expects to distribute more than 20,000 drowning prevention brochures, along with “water-watcher” tags to be worn by the adult in charge of supervising children near water. Drowning prevention and free CPR courses are being offered. Meanwhile, CHOC and the Orange County Drowning Prevention Network are trying to raise funds to reach both Latino and Asian communities.

Even at community pools that have guards, it is important not to be lulled into a false sense of security. Parents should not assume that the guards have primary responsibility for watching small children. Pool parties where many adults are present also can lead to inattention to the safety needs of youngsters. It’s the parents who must be on guard for their own.

With or without lifeguards, adults should take the lead in monitoring safety. Those assigned as parent pool-watchers need to take this to heart, too. Don’t assume that merely showing up for a “parent day” at a neighborhood or community pool means that you can sit away from the water and talk with neighbors.

Parents who accept such duties need to be aware of who comes and goes from a pool, and be certain that underage children are not left on their own if parents haven’t arrived yet to pick them up from a swim team practice.

Those who are not immediate parents, but are temporary caregivers, such as grandparents, need to remind themselves to be watchful, especially when youngsters are not usually around a pool, but come over on occasion.

Children should be warned not to run around decks and pools. It seems unbelievable that parents should have to be told not to run either, but in fact, in a party atmosphere, well-intentioned high jinks easily can create safety hazards at poolside.

Pool drownings are the leading cause of death for children under 5, and every one of those deaths can be prevented. As the early summer sun creates wonderful recreational opportunities, this is the time to plan for a safe season around the water.