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Tips on Summer Safety In and Around the Swimming Pool

Mother with her son in a pool

Summer is a great time to get into the pool to cool down, but it’s important to consider the risks involved, both to adults and children. Whether you’re visiting a public pool, a pool at the home of friends, or you own your own pool, learn more about the risks involved around swimming pools and the ways to prevent pool injuries.

Drowning remains one of the leading causes of death for all Americans, but it is even more of a threat to children. Each day, an average of ten people are killed in drowning accidents, and two of those are children. The highest drowning rate is among children aged 1-4, who are old enough to move toward a body of water but don’t yet know how to swim. Drowning is the number one cause of death for children at this age, aside from birth defects.

Not all those who are injured in a pool accident are drowned, however. For each child who drowns, another five receive submersion injuries that send them to the emergency room. Half of all those who need emergency room care for submersion injuries must spend additional time in the hospital or seek medical treatment elsewhere. Severe submersion injuries can include severe brain damage, learning disabilities, and a loss of functioning that can leave victims in a permanent vegetative state. Aside from drowning, common injuries caused by swimming pools include spine and neck injuries from diving, and injuries caused from slips-and-falls when materials used around the pool become slick with water.

If you own a pool, be sure that your pool is secured at all times, and that you know how to prevent common injuries. In California, residential pools are subject to many state regulations, and owners who fail to comply with these laws can face liability if guests are injured on their property. Homeowners with a pool should ensure that their pool is surrounded by walls or a fence of at least four feet in height. Have a self-latching gate, with a lock which children cannot reach or open. Many pool accidents occur when swimmers dive into too shallow of water where the pool depth is not indicated, so ensure that you use signage that states the pool’s depth. Many adults experience swimming pool injuries after drinking alcohol, so encourage your guests to be responsible about drinking when around the pool. Use appropriate coverage on any pool drains. Should the drain be improperly covered, it can pull smaller swimmers underwater with a vacuum-like pull. Pool owners should also consider learning CPR, to be prepared if an accident does occur.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a California swimming pool accident, seek the money you deserve for your injuries and resulting costs by contacting the compassionate and knowledgeable Palmdale personal injury lawyer Paul Kistler for a consultation on your case, at 661-206-6990.

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