Protect The Ones You Love From Drowning
It is an unfortunate fact that as the summer season comes, so do water and pool-related injuries and deaths. Approximately 10 water-related deaths per day are related to drowning. Additionally, 700 people die each year in boating-related accidents. According to the CDC more than 1 in 4 fatal drowning victims are children aged 14 and younger. For every child who drowns, another 4 receive emergency treatment for non-fatal submersion and brain injury. Non-fatal drownings often cause brain damage resulting in long-term disabilities including memory problems, learning disabilities and a permanent loss of basic functioning. The CDC determined that the major risk factors for swimming pool accidents and/or drowning are lack of barriers and supervision. Almost all young children who drown in pools were last since in the home, had been out of sight less than 5 minutes and were in the care of one or both parents at the time. All pools should have pool fencing which can help prevent children from getting access to the pool area without care giver awareness. With adult or adolescent deaths there is generally a ratio of alcohol use with a drowning or pool injury. Alcohol influences balance, coordination and judgment and its effects are often heightened by sun exposure and heat.
The experienced Philadelphia swimming pool accident and injury lawyers of Reiff and Bily recommend that you take the following steps to help prevent pool or water related drowning or injuries.
1. Designate a responsible adult to watch young children while swimming or playing in or around water. Adults should not be involved in any other distracting activity such as reading, playing cards, talking on the phone or mowing the lawn while supervising children.
2. Always swim with a buddy.
Avoid drinking alcohol before or during swimming and do not drink alcohol while supervising children.
4. Learn to swim. Be aware that the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend swimming classes as the primary means of drowning prevention for children younger than 4. Constant careful supervision and barriers such as pool fencing and life saving equipment, including lifesavers or donuts, are necessary even when children have completed swimming classes.
5. Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In the time it takes the paramedics to arrive, your CPR skills can make a difference in someone’s life. CPR performed by bystanders has been shown to improve outcomes of drowning victims.
6. Do not use air filled or foam toys such as water wings, noodles or intertubes in place of life jackets or personal flotation devices. These toys are not designed to keep swimmers safe and often provide a false sense of security.
7. If you have a swimming pool at home, install a four sided isolation pool fence that completely separates the house and play area of the yard from the pool area. The fence should be at least 4 feet high. Use self closing and self latching gates that open outward with latches that are out of reach of children. Also consider additional barriers such as automatic door locks or alarms to prevent access to the pool or to notify you if someone enters the pool area.
8. Remove floats, balls and other toys from pool and surrounding areas immediately after use. The presence of these tools may encourage children to enter the pool area or lean over the pool and potentially fall in.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to a swimming pool accident, please contact one of the experienced Philadelphia swimming pool accident attorneys at Reiff and Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com for a free consultation.
