Drowning Prevention

The National Drowning Prevention Alliance is holding their 8th Annual National Drowning Prevention Symposium February 23-24, 2009 in Miami Beach. This year’s theme is Lighting the Way to Safer Waters. Please visit their website at http://www.ndpa.org/home/index.htm for more information about this very important event on water safety.

Child Safety

Phoenix has seen many child drowning and near drowning this year. In each case adults were present. It's hard to explain how both parents can be home yet a two year old child can slip away only to be found in the back yard pool. With so much awareness and so many campaigns for child drowning prevention, the message still isn't getting through to many parents. As Pool Guard of Phoenix goes to these parents homes to discusses pool enclosure options, many parents still maintain that they never leave their children out of their site. I guess one could assume that means they don't sleep, bathe or ever get side tracked and so on. The reality is that we do get side tracked, we do take showers, we do sleep. All these things keep us from 100% supervision of our children. You have to expect the unexpected when it comes to our little ones and what they are capable of. Parents who have that mentality, that they don't need layers of protection out to their pool, are only fooling themselves. Our little ones need protection and a pool barrier is just one excellent way to start. A pool barrier offers those vital few seconds where you have lost track of your child. In recent months a large campaign really put child drowning bluntly. In summary the ad provided by a local advertiser created a plan for it's client that involved baby dolls and area fountains.

On Aug. 1, the ad firm placed 12 of the dolls face down in fountains in high-profile areas of Phoenix, such as Scottsdale's Civic Center Plaza. The campaign's message couldn't be missed -- The dolls evoked an eerie image of babies drowning. The dolls' shirts read: "If you don't have a fence around your pool, eventually you won't need one."

This ad drove home the importance of a pool fence. With kids still swimming in Phoenix as our summer heat still keeps our pools nice and warm, please parents, rethink your plan to protect your child. If your leaving it up to you and you alone, your leaving it to chance. Put your child's safety your priority and get your pool fenced. Ask yourself this simple question, is the consequence worth it? My back yard is so pretty, a fence would ruin the look. Something we so often hear. Is the beauty of your back yard more important than the life of your child? I'm sure all parents would say no. OK then, get your pool fenced. No more excuses.

Pool Guard of Phoenix

Education

Pool Guard of Long Island will be getting involved with the Nassau County, town of Oyster Bay, Supervisor John Venditto in educating the town inspectors in pool safety fences. This came about due to the new safety laws that have been implemented throughout the country. Most pool builders, and people in the pool industry, aren't aware of this new pool barrier law that is going into effect in September of 2008. The town supervisor is pleased to announce that he is going to use Pool Guard of Long Island to help promote this new safety law, as well as, educate the public. We are looking forward to this.

Sean
Pool Guard Of Long Island

Children Are Worth It

How much are your children worth to you? $20, $1000, $100,000? Can you really put a price on your children, can you put a price on keeping your children safe? We recently installed a swimming pool safety fence for a couple in Beverly Hills. This couple was renting a house in Beverly Hills for just the month of August. A little summer get away until September when they are moving to London because the husband got transferred there. They called me, said I was recommended by friends of theirs, and wanted to know if I rented fencing. My answer was no. They told me the owners said it would be fine to put a fence in as long as I didn't need to drill into the antique rock around the swimming pool. The pool was in the middle of the yard surrounded by grass. I said no problem. We agreed on the price, installed the fence, and I will be going back at the end of August to remove the fence, The owners have no children and don't want or need the fence after the renters leave. Not many people have the kind of money to do something like this. But when you buy a fence that will be used for years, to safeguard your children, it comes out to be only pennies a day to help insure your children's safety. Aren't your children worth it?

Keep Your Eyes On The Kids

Florida has the highest unintentional drowning rate in the nation for children ages 1-4 with the numbers increasing each year. The Florida Department of Health has initiated a Drowning Prevention Campaign. Part of their campaign is the Water Watchers Pledge which is:

To Help protect children from drowning I will...


Constantly watch the children who are in or near water and keep them within reach.

Give this tag to another adult who agrees to actively watch the children if I need to leave for any reason.

Make sure rescue equipment is easily accessible. Keep telephone and emergency numbers with me.

Latch gates, lock doors, use alarms and create two or more barriers to the pool, spa or any water.

Once I leave the water, I will make sure a child cannot return without my knowledge.

One of the key components of the pledge is creating two or more barriers to the pool. This is so important because kids do wonder away from parents. And while adult supervision is absolutely necessary, the barriers are just as necessary. The Pool Guard Pool Fence with the self closing, self latching gate provide the barrier to help keep kids safe from drownings. Drownings Are Preventable and the safety pool fence or nets can help parents keep kids safe, which is what it is all about!