A nine-month-old Florida boy was in critical condition after his mother rescued him from a near drowning in the family’s pool in late December.
He was lucky; many in his situation do not survive. Tragically, Florida leads the nation in drowning deaths of small children. The Florida Department of Health grimly notes, Annually in Florida, enough children to fill three to four preschool classrooms drown and do not live to see their fifth birthday.
The Florida legislature took action to remedy this situation, passing in 2009 the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act. The law requires that every residential swimming pool have at least one of the following safety features:
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A barrier that is at least four feet tall that can keep out small children
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An approved safety cover
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An exit alarm on all doors and exits from the house to the pool
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A self-closing and self-latching device at a height of at least fifty-four inches on every door that leads from the house to the pool
Additionally, there are a number of good practices for homeowners and pool users that will help reduce the number of tragic drowning. Drawing on the swim safety recommendations of The American Red Cross, we suggest the following safety tips:
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Always swim with supervision and maintain constant supervision of children
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Never leave a young child unattended near water
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Do not trust a child to supervise another child
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Teach all members of the family to swim well through enrolling in swim classes
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Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards
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If a child is missing, check the pool first. Every second counts!
If you or a loved one was injured in a swimming accident, contact us for assistance.
