An Ounce Of Prevention - Swimming Pool Fences

This is the story of a friend of mine, whose child drowned a few years ago after his birthday party. The parents had finished the party and locked the doors, which were also equipped with alarms. The child's aunt went outside to cook a hamburger on the barbeque. She opened the doors, disarmed the alarms and began to barbeque. She forgot to close the door when she went inside and the child went outside to the swimming pool and fell in. Fortunately, he was able to be revived and today shows no signs of permanent brain damage; however he went through months of intensive therapy. Years later the aunt continues to see a psychologist and continues in therapy because she feels responsible for the accident. This is a near drowning which easily could have been avoided by the homeowner installing a swimming pool safety fence around the swimming pool. A pool fence would have prevented the baby from accidentally falling into the water. Nothing prevents accidents like a swimming pool barrier.

From Ana Hernandez, Pool Guard of Miami/Dade:

Two months ago we installed a swimming pool fence at the home of a critical care nurse for Miami Childrens Hospital in Dade County, Florida. She told me, and I was surprised to learn, that every week, and more often in the summer, at least one child in Dade County, Florida is admitted to the trauma center at Miami Childrens Hospital due to either a drowning or a near drowning. Many of these cases are reported by the news services. Miami is a swimming pool prevalent area and a swimming pool barrier fence would prevent so many of these tragic drownings and near drownings. This critical care nurse told me that she would never consider moving into her new home without Pool Guard installing a pool safety fence at her swimming pool.

Pool Safety Bill Encourages States To Adopt Pool Safety Laws

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has introduced a new bill designed to put pool safety fences around all swimming pools, hot tubs and whirlpools. Her main purspose of this proposed legislation is to raise the nation's awareness of pool safety.

U.S. Rep. Wasserman Schultz became alarmed by the number of pool drowning deaths when she served in the Florida Legislature. She pushed through a state law in Florida that required all new residential swimming pools to be built with one of four safety features:

• Pool barrier fence
• Pool cover, such as a pool net
• Exit alarms on all doors or windows with pool access
• Self-closing, self latching pool gates

Pool Guard was behind this particular piece of pool safety legislation when it was first proposed in Florida. Pool Guard also supports the new legislation to require pool safety fences around all swimming pools, hot tubs and whirlpools. With over 600 swimming pool drowning deaths for children under age 4 in Florida, we know all too well that the best way to prevent a pool drowning is to provide additional layers of protection such as a pool fence.

Pool Fences Are The Only Barrier With Proven Effectiveness

KTNV ABC Channel 13 released an article on their site, "Plan a Satisfying -- and Safe -- Summer of Pool Enjoyment". The article talks about how constant adult supervision is vital in saving your child from drowning in the pool. The article also notes that in addition to adult supervision, pool fences or pool barriers with a properly functioning pool gate can provide a second layer of security.

"Pool fences can give parents the time they need to realize their child is missing and to re-establish eye-to-eye contact."

Station KTNV has hit the nail on the head. One of the most important factors dealing with swimming pool safety is 'safer water'. A pool fence or pool barrier placed around a swimming pool definitely creates not only 'safer water', but 'safer children'.

Additionally, Pool Guard utilizes the D&D Technologies magna-latch on every Pool Guard self-closing, self-latching, walk-thru gate it manufactures. A self-closing gate renders a pool fence safer because the pool fence can never accidentally be left open.