The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives campaign is under way. TV and radio public service announcements review various water safety tips that will help save lives.
Our Palm Beach personal injury lawyers know the dangers of pools and spas and are not surprised by CPSC’s announcement that there have already been 37 drowning and 38 near-drowning incidents reported nationwide this year.
The CPSC Pool Safely campaign is a first-of-its-kind national public education attempt to decrease child drowning accidents and near-drowning incidents in pools and spas across the country.
“As the summer swimming season approaches, our message to parents and caregivers is simple: stay safe in and around pools and spas by practicing as many safety steps as possible. This includes staying close to children at all times, knowing water safety skills like CPR, and ensuring anti-entrapment drain covers are installed in all pools and spas,” said Inez Tenenbaum, Chairwoman of the CPSC.
The TV PSA features four families that were spared the agony of losing a child by the use of door alarms, fencing around pools and spas, knowledge of CPR and safety drain covers. The radio PSA promotes how important it is that everyone knows how to swim.
“So many of the drowning and near-drowning incidents that happen every year are preventable and every drowning and near-drowning is a terrible tragedy,” Tenenbaum said.
Pool safety tips:
Be Responsible
-Stay with your child at all times when they are in or near a pool or spa. Never leave them unattended.
-Teach children basic water safety.
-Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapment. (See previous blog Pool and Spa Drain Accidents a Danger from Fort Lauderdale to Fort Pierce )
-Keep a phone close at all times when using a pool or spa.
-Always look in a pool or spa first if a child is missing.
-Share your knowledge of safety instructions with friends, family and neighbors.
Be Knowledgeable
-Know how to swim.
-Know how to perform CPR on children and adults; update your skills regularly.
-Know what to do so you can assist in a pool emergency.
Be Equipped
-Four-foot fencing should be around any pool or spa, with self-latching and closing gates.
-Install pool and door alarms if your house acts as the fourth side of a fence that is around a pool or spa.
-Make sure pools and spas that you use have compliant drain covers.
-Pool and spa coves need to be in good condition.
-Keep life saving equipment like poles and life rings in close range.
If you or someone you know has been in a pool or spa accident in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach or the surrounding areas, contact the swimming pool accident lawyers at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez. Call for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights at 1-800-529-2368.