Pool Safety Can Prevent Summer Fatalities
On June 7, 2010, the Modesto Bee reported a story about a two-year-old toddler who drowned in a pool in Antioch, California after wandering away from relatives at a family barbecue. The drowning was ruled an accident and no negligence was found, but stories like this one are becoming all too common during the summer months in our state.
The number one cause of death for children under the age of 14 in California is drowning. If you have a pool, it's important to use the following pool safety tips to avoid tragic accidents on your property:
1. Make sure an adult is supervising children at ALL times. Even walking away for a few minutes can lead to tragedy.
2. Install a four-sided barrier (such as a fence with gates that automatically close) around the pool on all sides.
3. Install alarms on pool gates so that you know if anyone enters the pool area while you're not watching.
4. Use safety covers to prevent drowning while the pool is not actively in use.
5. All adults and children who use the pool should know how to swim.
6. Get basic CPR training and first aid training to help victims in case of an accident.
7. Install an outdoor phone line or keep a cell phone handy to quickly reach emergency services should and accident occur.
With more than one million private residential pools in California, pool safety should be top of mind this summer. If you have experienced the loss of a loved one on someone else's property, it is critical that you contact a Modesto personal injury lawyer to represent your case.
