Swimming Pools and child death.

Boyish-Tigerlilly · Post by **Boyish-Tigerlilly** » 2006-09-17 12:05am

I recently have been comming across outdoor pool statistics, and I wonder: how dangerous are they, and if they are quite dangerous to children, are they worth having as a parent or responsible neighbor?

Apparently, and I am trying to verify this, people accidentally kill themselves about 550 (children under ten) a year, while at the same time, I have heard that guns kill about 175 in accidental shootings a year (children under ten). Wtf?

If true, should parents rethinking having pools, or even neighbors? Or should there be stricter negligence laws and regulations?

I got this from another forum, so tomorrow when he comes back, I will get teh source he used. I find this odd.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-09-17 02:59am

Australia has retarded pool-fencing laws based on statistics like this.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2006-09-17 03:36am

Don't Australians also end up with shitloads of spiders swimming in their pools?

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2006-09-17 03:51am

The US doesn't have universal fencing laws for its pools, but the Insurance companies are another issue all together. Want that pool? Better build a fence unless you like paying insurance through the roof. Insurance companies play the statistics card and they know accidental deaths can cost a fortune through both claims and legal proceedings. Statisticaly speaking, fences really do make pools safer from the likes of little children.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2006-09-17 04:43am

Anyone who builds a pool without a fence is an idiot.

Flagg · Post by **Flagg** » 2006-09-17 05:00am

Darth Wong wrote:Anyone who builds a pool without a fence is an idiot.

Abso-fucking-lutely. When I lived in FL we had an above-ground pool, and not only was the yard fenced, but we made sure the pool had a removable ladder and stored it in the garage when not swimming. Even then you could still be liable, but that's another thing altogether.
The real danger lies with small children that actually live in the house the pool is located at. I remember every year from about mid April to late September there would be one or 2 stories a month about some toddler (in a few cases older) that drowned in the family swimming pool because the person watching them didn't think they would be able to unlock and open the sliding glass door that leads to the pool and left the kid alone in the room for 5 minutes. Every now and then the parents would get "lucky" and the child would only suffer brain damage.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2006-09-17 07:31am

Pools kill a number of adults every year, not just children. They're a potential hazard for anyone.

Outdoor, backyard pools should have fences and locking gates. This keeps out both toddlers and drunken fools. Smaller kiddie pools, of the sort that blow up like air mattresses or are plastic shells that can be tipped over to empty, should not be left filled and should not be used by children unsupervised. When you're done for the day empty them.

Post by **Cairber** » 2006-09-17 12:03pm

Has anyone seen that commercial with the infant drowning in the pool?

I stil hear people complain now and then about having to build a fence, usually about how the law is too "controlling."

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2006-09-17 12:23pm

I stil hear people complain now and then about having to build a fence, usually about how the law is too "controlling."

Just what the bloody fuck? "Controlling"? It's basic safety measures. You have to place steel plates over the sewage line hatches, so that people don't fall down and fucking die. Same with pools.

Post by **Cairber** » 2006-09-17 12:54pm

To that they usually use a line like "It's my property and they are trespassing" and then go on to say that they don't need the government "saving me from myself."

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2006-09-17 01:07pm

Cairber wrote:To that they usually use a line like "It's my property and they are trespassing" and then go on to say that they don't need the government "saving me from myself."

Actually, laws mandating insurance coverage and other basic precautions are intended to save others from them, not them from themselves. The idea is that if some kid drowns in his pool thanks to his negligence and unconscionably depraved indifference to the safety of other peoples' children, his parents will be able to sue somebody who can actually pay up.

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2006-09-17 02:22pm

My parents next door neighs have a pool.

They put in a full privacy fence on the one side of it, and then a secondary fence around the pool itself.

The privacy fence was to keep the local kids using the park from getting into it
The secondary fence was to keep there pets out.

And I never heard a word of complain from them, except having to clean the pool every few days regardless of the cover on it.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2006-09-17 02:59pm

Something that you have to consider with these incidents, also, is that a "near drowning" can result in massive brain damage, and a destroyed life.
Death statistics are not the only tragedy going on here...

Ariphaos · Post by **Ariphaos** » 2006-09-17 04:25pm

I know Minnesota's laws not only specify a fence, but that the fenceposts have to be -buried into the ground- so that babies can't crawl under it.

As to their safety, well, I can't really say. There are a lot of laws about water and swimming education in Minnesota. I went to South Dakota for college and half the students only knew how to doggy paddle.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2006-09-18 11:03am

IIRC Arizona requires the pool be fenced in with a self closing gate all with a specific height. Basically the gate has to have some mechanism on that will automatically close the gate so it is less likely to be left open.

Other things to watch for to prevent drownings or near drowning of children are bathtubs, toilets and buckets. I haven't ever heard of any childred really drowning in a toilet but bathtubs are relatively common and I've heard of at least a few involving buckets.

Those 5 gallon buckets, often used for paint, usually come with warnings now because it's easy for toddlers to get stuck face down in them and they aren't strong enough to push themselves out.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2006-09-18 01:25pm

I wouldn't even have a pool or install a pool in my house if I had children. Actually, I wouldnt have a pool period, they are maintenance hogs and don't really help when it comes time to sell the house.

Now that I am regularly around small children under the age of 5, I've seen how fast they can get themselves into trouble. Especially if you are trying to keep track of more than 1 at a time. There is no reason to not have a fence around your pool, just like there is no reason to not wear a seatbelt.

Korvan · Post by **Korvan** » 2006-09-18 04:54pm

You can actually get alarms that go off if the water in the pool gets displaced by a certain amount. Might not be too effective on windy days, but they can definately get you to respond right away if junior wanders off and falls in.

Lusankya · Post by **Lusankya** » 2006-09-18 09:02pm

Korvan wrote:You can actually get alarms that go off if the water in the pool gets displaced by a certain amount. Might not be too effective on windy days, but they can definately get you to respond right away if junior wanders off and falls in.

What if you're not home and it's junior from next door who wanders off and falls in? You still need the fence.

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