The Importance of a Self Closing Pool Gate

Tonight, here in Tampa, one of our local news channels presented its annual awards to citizens who have made a difference in somebody's life. One of the winners was a 5 year old boy who saved his 2 year old sister's life when she fell into the family's swimming pool. This family had a pool fence; however, it had the old-fashioned fold-back gate and the fold-back gate was left in the open position. That is how the 2 year old got into the pool.

This incident, which could have turned deadly, would never have happened if the pool fence system had been installed with a self-closing, self-latching gate. . Many adults have access to the pool, i.e., pool service people, pool repair people and others. Too many times an adult walks away from the pool and leaves the fold-back gate in the open position. Parents, it is so important to realize that a self-closing gate makes a pool safety fence so much safer. The fence can never, ever accidentally be left open and a small child can never wander through the fence and fall into the swimming pool. There is absolutely no doubt that a self-closing gate is a necessity.

Full Time Protection - Fence OR Net

"Should we buy a pool net or a pool fence?" is the first question we receive daily at Pool Guard of Puerto Rico. Mrs. Rodriguez was not different in the fact that she wanted to protect her pool. The reason was not because of children and not even because of grandchildren. The reason was simply liability. Mrs. Rodriguez travels frequently back and forth to Miami and fears that the little foot prints she has found around her pool may turn into a not so happy situation. After a thorough review of the benefits of the self-closing gate combined with the pool fence, Mrs. Rodriguez decided that a pool net met her safety needs and was more aesthetically pleasing for her resort-style back yard and swimming pool area. Now, upon completion of the pool net, Mrs. Rodriguez of San Juan, Puerto Rico, feels much safer while traveling and was especially pleased with the service provided by her Pool Guard representative, Miguel Santiago.

Marisela Montes
Pool Guard of Puerto Rico

Pool Fence Safety Case Study

We recently installed a fence for a lady who lives in Boynton Beach, Florida. She has six grandchildren ranging in age from two years old to eight years old. She babysits for them often, but was tremendously worried about pool safety and that one of the children would accidentally fall into the swimming pool.

She did some research and found that the most cost effective and most efficient way to solve her problem was to have a removable pool safety fence installed. She got a few estimates and chose Pool Guard because of our full lifetime warranty and because she loved the safety features of the Pool Guard self-closing gate. She also felt Pool Guard had a lot of options when it came to colors and color combinations. She thanked Pool Guard for doing such a great job explaining the pool fence system at the time of the estimate, showing up for the installation when they said they would and for the excellent installation of the pool fence.

Submitted by Ray Pagano
POOL GUARD OF PALM BEACH

INFANT SWIMMING LESSONS AND POOL FENCES

I was certified as an infant swimming instructor in 2001. I had taken a leave of absence from my elementary school teaching position when my son was born in 2000. We built a swimming pool and I was determined to have all of my bases covered with regards to pool safety. The first thing we did was enroll my son, Brady, in Infant Swimming Resource lessons. When the pool deck was completed we also had a pool safety fence installed. I then decided to become an instructor and to promote pool safety.

One of the first questions that I ask every single family that inquires about swimming lessons is 'DO YOU HAVE A POOL SAFETY FENCE?" I also ask whether any other caregiver has a pool and whether that pool has a pool fence. Parents often tend to forget that accidents can happen at anyone's house - grandparents, uncles and aunts, etc. Many of my students were brought to me because they had already fallen into the pool. These parents will tell you time and time again that they did not hear a sound. They turned around and their child was sinking to the bottom of the pool. I instruct every client to enroll their child in swimming lessons as well as having a Pool Guard safety fence installed. Even after completing the swimming lessons a child could slip and hit their head while playing beside the pool. You just never know. You can never be too cautious with your most precious possession. All of the swimming instructors in my area promote pool safety fences. We have worked with parents who have lost a child due to a drowning. These parents wish every single day that they had taken every safety precaution that was available.

As distributors of Pool Guard pool fences Brian and I try our very best to educate parents on the importance of installing a pool safety fence. As distributors of Pool Guard we know that we're installing the safest pool fence available. Drowning prevention -- that is what we're all about.

Submitted by:

Kathy & Brian Rolison
Pool Guard of North Florida

Water Safety Tips from California's Consumnes Fire Department

The Fire Department in Cosumnes, California has provided several tips to insure that your children are safe this summer while near water:

• Designate an adult to keep thier eyes on the water and the kids during social gatherings.
• Learn CPR. Every second counts in an emergency.
• Know which friends and neighbors have swimming pools. Make sure your child will be supervised by an adult when visiting their pool.
• Install pool fencing around home swimming pools.
• Don't rely on pool alarms and pool covers as primary pool safety equipment. They should be used along with pool fencing and supervison.
• Children can drown in as little as 1 inch of water. Wading pools, bathtubs, buckets, diaper pails, toilets, spas and hot tubs can be dangerous.
• Avoid playing around pool drains as these can be dangerous with or without a cover. Long hair can become tangled in filtering hardware.
• Borrow a life jacket. Some of the local fire houses have them available to loan in adult and child sizes for free.

Pool Guard Pool Fence Distributors in California:

• Pool Guard of San Diego
• Pool Guard of Orange County
• Pool Guard of the Inland Empire
• Pool Guard of Sacramento
• Pool Guard of Northern California
• Pool Guard of Bakersfield, California
• Pool Guard of the Bay Area
• Pool Guard of Greater Sacramento and Northern California
• Pool Guard if Ventua / Santa Barbara
• Pool Guard of Los Angeles
  

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.

Installing Pool Fencing Can Save Your Child's Life

With summer right around the corner and school ending, it is time to think about pool safety!

Swimming pool drownings are the leading cause of death for children under the age of five years old. So give serious consideration this summer to installing pool fencing for your home swimming pool for your child, grandchild or neighborhood children.

• Pool fencing is intended to prevent a child from having access to a swimming pool unless a responsible adult is present.
• Pool fencing that is at least 4 feet high, with vertical openings less than 4-inches wide and with a self-closing and self-latching pool gate is considered adequate.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the installation of pool fencing be at least 5 feet high. These characteristics distinguish pool fencing from property-line fencing, which merely separates yards with swimming pools from neighboring properties.

Sacramento Sees 9 Pool Drownings or Near Drownings Since April 1

From the News 10 ABC article, "Family Recounts Toddler's Near Drowning".

"Since April 1, there have been nine drownings or near drownings of children in pools and spas in the Sacramento area. "

A decision to purchase a pool fence or a pool net for your swimming pool is wise and responsible. Drowning can occur in as little as three seconds and is a leading cause of accidental death in children under five years of age. Additionally, each year there are many young victims of near drowning who require emergency room treatment, many of whom suffer permanent damage. A majority of children who are involved in these tragic accidents have been missing from sight for a very short period of time and were last seen in the home. Even though there is no substitute for adult supervision, a pool fence or net provides an additional layer of protection between a precious child and a pool which helps guard against disaster.

Adam Horn
Pool Guard of Sacramento
916-673-3152

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.

Having A Choice In Preventing A Drowning

We had a drowning in Vero Beach just a couple of weeks ago. A two year old boy scurried away from the sight of his adult supervision for just a few seconds and…This tragic incident happened in a very well to do neighborhood near the beach. Accidents can and do happen to ANYONE and EVERYONE. This is one ‘accident’ that we have a choice in preventing. We got a few extra calls for safety product estimates after citizens read the news in the paper, but it was too late to help prevent that tragedy in this family’s life.

I personally know a few families who have lost children to drownings and it NEVER ends well. It’s a devastating occurance for everyone involved right down to the paramedics who attempt to revive the child. One of my good friends was a medic on this site. He is a true professional and yet he was absolutely moved by this scene. Here he is, a 250 lb. giant of a man, a father of four and a top notch paramedic, and he helpless in his attempts to help this little boy or his family. He said the grandmother was simply wilted and crushed by the entire ordeal.

Maybe I’m preaching to the choir, but in a nutshell, the more layers of protection, the better. A safety fence or net would have almost certainly given the adult in charge the necessary seconds or minute to find this young boy before he ever even got to the water. It would have changed these people’s lives forever. What’s that worth?

It makes my skin crawl for some to suggest that these tragic incidents are a “way to market safety products”. I don’t ever want to take someone’s emotions and play games with them. It also makes me very sad, angry and a host of other feelings, when a simple and relatively inexpensive device like a pool fence is seen by some as an eyesore, inconvenience or waste of money at the expense of a little boy’s or girl’s life. I just can’t justify being silent about this issue. It’s a mission and I’m hoping many more people will be added to the cause before I have to read or hear about another child drowning.

Sincerely,

Joel Molinari
Pool Guard of the Treasure Coast

Child Drowning Prevention - Real Life Story

At Pool Guard, we are on the business of putting up pool safety fences and the more we stress to our customers how important it is to be safe the less they want to spend.

A couple of weeks ago we got a phone call to do an estimate at a house in Plantation, Florida. We did the estimate and the homeowner told us that an child had drowned and he/she was in coma. We installed their pool fence and a few days later we got another phone call to do an estimate at the same neighborhood. We went there, the homeowners were away at the hospital, we only communicated with them by phone, and then we found out that their son was at the hospital.

We put 2 and 2 together, and sure enough they were the parents of the child that near drown.

We later found out that that they HAD the pool fence but never put up (paid somebody to install). We had them scheduled to install the fence today, my installer gets there this morning and we found out that the child had died.

As a mother my heart is broken, I can not explain the pain and my sympathy to this family enough; but I am also angry because this situation could have been prevented.

Do you want to know what is even worse? We did an estimate for this child’s uncle best friend and we found out that a few years ago the uncle lost a child (also drowned in the pool) and now this one dies. This is the second death in this family due to drowning and even after the child drowned and while in coma, the parents were shopping for the best price on the pool fence installation.

This is crazy.

The Young Family

Pool and Hot Tub Safety - ABC News

Accidental drowning is the leading cause of death for children under age 5 and the second-leading cause of death for children 14 and under. Even children who are good swimmers can drown, and some do each year by what’s known as entrapment, which means getting pulled down by the suction of a pool or hot tub drain.

Swimming Pool & Spa Safety Tips

• Install drain covers. If you have the flat, old-fashioned drains on your pool, buy special anti-entanglement drain covers. These drain covers are especially good at preventing hair from getting caught in the pool and will greatly reduce the risk of someone drowning in your pool from entrapment.
• Install an automatic suction cut-off device on your pool’s pump. When the device feels an increase in pressure, which is what happens when a seal comes over the drain (which happens when a swimmer gets snapped by a drain), it will automatically shut off the pump and release the pressure. Having this device is always a faster way to release pressure than having an adult run over and turn off a pump.
• If you’re building a new pool, install two drains. This will cut the pressure from each drain in half. Often the suction from a lone drain can be 400 to 500 pounds, which is too strong for an entrapped child.
• Practice active supervision. This means that if your child is small, always be within arm’s length of him or her in the water. When you are watching children swim, you should not be doing anything else — no talking on a cell phone or grilling hamburgers or talking to friends.

Childproofing Your Home

Childproofing your house does not have to be a major event, a quick walk or crawl through your home can open your eyes to the dangers your child will face every day. Look at the task of Child Proofing your home - at their level. Get down on your hands and knees and see things the way they do.

When I walk into a customer’s home I start right in the foyer and take a look at the stair case and the banister. I always recommend a permanently mounted gate at the top of stairs to prevent falls. I check the spacing between banister slats and suggest Plexiglas if there is a risk of the child falling through or using the slats to climb. Some clients choose to gate the bottom of the stairs or close off the foir area at other access points instead. While in this area I look for tall or top heavy pieces of furniture that should be secured to avoid being tipped, Suggest locks on closets and throwing away dry cleaning bags, I also suggest locks on basement and exterior doors and suggest outlet/cord protection devices where needed.

With so much outdoor living these days I like to take a look at the deck and suggest gates at the steps and make sure the slat spacing is safe. Some parents may want to consider a soft mat for children to crawl on instead of wood or concrete decks. If a pool is involved parents should be aware that this is a major safety concern and have appropriate layers of protection in place. I suggest alarms on all doors from the house to the pool area, A swimming pool safety fence that surrounds the pool that has a self closing / self latching gate and things like always being able to see the pool from the house, keeping a cordless phone near the pool to call for help and so you don’t have to leave the pool area to answer the phone. Parents should also take a CPR class and be sure to check the pool first if in doubt.

Safety Fences Help Prevent Swimming Pool Drownings

AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION COULD SAVE A LIFE - Perhaps YOUR child’s life!

In preventing the drowning of children and for all swimming pool safety, the most important choice you make is the type of removable mesh safety fencing you choose for your swimming pool area - including the pool safety gate.

Talk with a contractor who is willing to visit your home and evaluate your needs based on the size, shape and location of your swimming pool, how many children you have and how old they are and any other special needs you might need to consider. Families should consider the safety of their pets around a swimming pool as well. Beyond keeping your pet safer from drowning, it can keep them safer if you are doing any special cleaning of your swimming pool or pool decking.

The most important hint we can offer is to be sure the latch on the gate is not able to be reached by small children, the baby safety fence if used, should be at least four feet high around the swimming pool area. There shouldn’t be any places where your child’s leg or even their foot can fit into that would enable them to climb over the fence.

My Child Can Swim - Who Needs Pool Safety Fencing?

The following link goes to an article on a non profit site that concludes from a study that pool safety fencing indeed saves small children’s lives and that a strong closing gate is an important part a safe system.

Also I found this info interesting because I hear from several potential customers that “My 3 year old child can swim because he/she had a swim class last year.”

Well, I have a 3 year old that has been through several classes and I can’t imagine trusting his safety on his current ability to swim or his judgment.

A CDC study about self-reported swimming ability (Gilchrist et al. 2000) found that:

• Younger survey respondents reported greater swimming ability than older respondents; Self-reported ability increased with level of education (i.e., high school graduate, college graduate, etc.)
• Among racial groups, African Americans reported the most limited swimming ability
• Men of all ages, races, and educational levels consistently reported greater swimming ability than women.

Vero Beach Florida Pool Drowning

We had a drowning in Vero Beach just a couple of weeks ago. A two year old boy scurried away from the sight of his adult supervision for just a few seconds and…This tragic incident happened in a very well to do neighborhood near the beach. Accidents can and do happen to ANYONE and EVERYONE. This is one ‘accident’ that we have a choice in preventing. We got a few extra calls for safety product estimates after citizens read the news in the paper, but it was too late to help prevent that tragedy in this family’s life.

I personally know a few families who have lost children to drownings and it NEVER ends well. It’s a devastating occurance for everyone involved right down to the paramedics who attempt to revive the child. One of my good friends was a medic on this site. He is a true professional and yet he was absolutely moved by this scene. Here he is, a 250 lb. giant of a man, a father of four and a top notch paramedic, and he helpless in his attempts to help this little boy or his family. He said the grandmother was simply wilted and crushed by the entire ordeal.

Maybe I’m preaching to the choir, but in a nutshell, the more layers of protection, the better. A safety fence or net would have almost certainly given the adult in charge the necessary seconds or minute to find this young boy before he ever even got to the water. It would have changed these people’s lives forever. What’s that worth?

It makes my skin crawl for some to suggest that these tragic incidents are a “way to market safety products”. I don’t ever want to take someone’s emotions and play games with them. It also makes me very sad, angry and a host of other feelings, when a simple and relatively inexpensive device like a pool fence is seen by some as an eyesore, inconvenience or waste of money at the expense of a little boy’s or girl’s life. I just can’t justify being silent about this issue. It’s a mission and I’m hoping many more people will be added to the cause before I have to read or hear about another child drowning.

Sincerely,
Joel Molinari
Pool Guard of the Treasure Coast

Green Pools for Earth Day

With the recent activity surrounding Earth Day, solar power for swimming pools was a topic found in several articles in the San Francisco bay area newspapers. There were also several articles about “natural” and “green” swimming pools and “ponds”. Global warming, going green, and being eco-friendly are terms that have gone main-stream.

It is wonderful to see the general population of our country embrace the need for change so a decent world exists to pass on to our children and grandchildren. And for the safety of these same children and grandchildren - it’s nice to know that no matter how a pool receives it’s energy and no matter how ‘au naturel’ a pool becomes - Pool Guard products will always be needed! What a wonderful legacy to give our kids - safe, secure, and GREEN!

Swimming Pool Safety Rules

YOUR CHILD’S LIFE IS VALUABLE…GUARD IT CAREFULLY THIS SUMMERTIME

Summertime is fast approaching. School will be out and vacation time begins. Be sure you have developed an Annual Spring Checklist for all the Safety concerns you want to avoid with the coming outdoor pool season.

Swimming Pool Safety Tips:

• Be sure the list of Pool Rules is posted and updated and in an obvious place for all to see.
• Remove and store all pool chemicals, equipment, hoses, and clamps etc in a safe locked storage area for use when you need them.
• Be sure any buckets are not filled with water or chemicals.
• Use protective electrical covers for all outlets, both inside and outside of your home.
• Check the hinges and latches, in particular to the pool or hot tub gate. Be sure they all latch well; it’s pretty easy for little fingers to manipulate a loosely attached latch.
• Be sure all electrical appliances are away from any water sources which may cause an electrical shock.
• Maintain a life ring with rope near the pool or a long pole to use to reach someone who may be in trouble in the water.
• Be sure the seasons life jackets are in good repair and ready to use, especially the ones for the little ones.
• If children are swimming in the pool be sure an adult is present to watch them. Contact your pool company that installed your safety fence and ask them if they do an annual safety check.Then schedule one if they do.

Pool Safety Guidelines

Pool Safety 101

• Pools should have layers of protection to prevent drowning
• Fences and walls should be at least 4 feet high
• Self-latching gates out of reach of children
• Alarms on doors, pool covers, motion-detectors
• Rescue equipment such as a pole, life ring etc.
• A phone by the pool area
• Pool area free from toys, chairs etc.

People Should

• Learn CPR and practice it Learn how to swim and never swim alone
• Learn FIRST RESPONDER skills
• Be aware of possible dangers
• Be responsible for safety features and watching children
• Never leave a child alone around water

Greatest Problems Causing Near Drowning or Drowning are:

• Lack of Adult Supervision
• Lack of Awareness, Training and Education
• No Lifeline in Place
• No trained Personnel Available for Response
• No Fence or Barrier
• Gates Left Open
• Lack of General Water Safety

Experts believe the installation of fences around household swimming pools could save the lives of some but not all of the nearly 600 toddlers who drown in the US every year.

Additional strategies to prevent drowning are also needed.

• An increase in the level of supervision of children by parents, older siblings and baby sitters would probably save the greatest number of young lives.
• Researchers believe adults need to be better educated as to the dangers posed by the family swimming pool.
• Children need to be made aware of the dangers of water as well as the pleasures.
• Adults need to become aware of the safety measures to take to keep their children safe and then take responsibility for the safety of their surroundings.

Water is a great source of enjoyment, however, it can, as well be a potential danger.

• All Caregivers who supervise children should receive training in Emergency Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and First Responder and First Aid Skills.
• Telephones and rescure equipment should be easily accessed from the pool area, providing a lifeline in place by the pool