DROWNING AND ENTRAPMENT PREVENTION
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that each year nearly 300 children younger than five drown in swimming pools and spas and an additional 4,000 children that age go to hospital emergency rooms due to submersion injuries in pools and spas.
Stay Close, Be Alert and Watch
- Always watch children and never leave them unattended .
- Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings.
- Have a charged phone close by at all times .
- If a child is missing, check the pool first.
- Share safety instructions with family, friends and neighbors.
- Even if a lifeguard is present, parents and caregivers should still take the responsibility of being a designated Water Watcher.
Have the appropriate equipment
Adopt and practice as many safety steps as possible. Adding an extra safety step around the water can make all the difference. You never know which safety step will save a life – UNTIL IT DOES.
- Install a fence of at least four feet in height around the perimeter of the pool or spa.
- Use self-closing and self-latching gates.
- Ensure all pools and spas have compliant drain covers.
- Install an alarm on the door leading from the house to the pool.
- Keep pool and spa covers in working order .
- Have life-saving equipment such as life rings or reaching poles available for use.
avoid drain entrapments
Entrapment caused by powerful suction from a pool or spa’s drain can trap a child or adult. Do not use a pool or spa if there are flat, broken or missing drain covers. Public pool and spa owners should have their facilities inspected by a licensed professional engineer and install Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (P&SSAct) compliant covers.
- Hair entanglement: hair can get caught in a faulty drain cover.
- Limbs: arms, legs and fingers can become lodged in a suction opening.
- Body: any body part that can cover a drain can be held down by suction.
- Evisceration: sitting on a faulty drain can cause injuries or disembowelment.
- Mechanical: jewelry or bathing suits can become entangled in a faulty drain cover.
Quick Tips to Share
Spread the word by sharing these graphics with your family and friends! We encourage you to print these and also share on social media.
Information provided by the U.S. Fire Administration and Pool Safely.
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/life-safety-hazards/pools-and-swimming/
