It has been estimated that more than 500 drownings occur each year in swimming pools. Your first reaction to that statistic might be to assume that in those cases, young children went unsupervised for long periods of time until their distracted parents discovered them later, when it was too late. But perhaps the scariest thing about pool drownings is this statistic: In nearly 80 percent of child drownings, victims are out of their parents' sight for five minutes or less.

Some other statistics that should give us food for thought:

• 60 percent of children who drown in swimming pools are between the ages of six months and 4 years old;
• 75 percent of young drowning victims drown in their own swimming pools, and 85 percent of them drown either in their own pool or a friend's pool;
• In 75 percent of swimming pool drownings, the tragic cause is a combination of either no supervision or poor supervision, and the absence of a pool barrier;
• The majority of drowning victims under the age of 6 were under the care of either one or both of their parents at the time of the drowning; and
• Most child drowning victims are discovered in the pool with their clothes on, indicating that these tragedies most likely occur when a child wanders out to the pool by himself or herself, and not when the pool is being used by family or friends.

Talk to emergency room physicians and nurses, and they'll tell you the stories of unnecessary drownings. Even when children don't lose their lives in these incidents, they often suffer brain damage as a result. What can you do as a pool owner to protect your own children and other children?

Before you do anything, enroll your children in swimming lessons as soon as possible. It doesn't matter if you don't own a pool or you never go swimming. Call your local parks and recreation department or YMCA, and enroll your children in lessons while they're very young. The best instructors often are the tough ones. Parents sometimes aren't comfortable with this no-nonsense approach, but some of these experienced teachers can have even the most apprehensive children swimming with confidence within a couple of weeks.

Make sure the gate surrounding your pool has an inside latch only. An outside latch is an open invitation for little hands. If you're preparing to build a fence, make sure it's a minimum of 6 feet tall. An 8-foot fence is an even better idea. It will take some getting used to -- it might look excessively tall to you at first, or you might worry that it implies that you're vigilant about your privacy -- but don't worry. A tall fence is a good investment in your family's safety, and a little extra privacy is never a bad thing. Let the neighbors talk.

Build a board-on-board fence, which is not only sturdier; it doesn't contain the holes you'll spot in a traditional fence. Kids love peeping into those holes. If they spot your pool, they might be tempted to scale your fence, try your gate, etc.

Store your harsh chemicals -- chlorine tablets, shock chemicals, etc. -- in a securely locked area.

When you're entertaining family and friends out by the pool, use only paper plates and plastic utensils. Follow the policy that most public pools enforce: no glass allowed. Appoint two individuals to be the designated "child-watchers." Everyone should be aware of their surroundings, of course, but designating some responsibility to well help to keep pool safety at a maximum.

Teach your children about pool safety. That means no running around the pool and no pushing or "dunking" of any kind -- whether it be shoving an unsuspecting victim into the pool, around the pool, or holding someone's face under the water. Enforce the policy that no one is allowed to swim alone. Even adults can fall victim to fatigue and lose their lives if they swim alone. Keep toys away from the pool, particularly when you've invited guests to your pool. Very young children in the pursuit of a toy could wander too close to the water and fall. Place signs on your fence and around the pool to remind everyone of the ground rules.

Mark the various depths of your pool ("4 feet," "8 feet," etc.) clearly. Add to your list of rules that no diving is allowed in the shallow end, period. "Shallow" means anything 5 feet or less.

Enroll in a CPR course -- it's your responsibility as a parent, regardless of whether or not you own a pool -- and keep a list of emergency phone numbers near the pool.

If you're leaving your children with a baby-sitter, the ground rules should remain the same, of course, but it's probably best to err on the side of caution. Forbid the use of the pool while you're gone -- no questions asked. Even if you know the baby-sitter well and trust his or her judgment, that individual hasn't necessarily faced the scenario in which the phone rings while he or she is outside watching the children. An experienced parent knows either to purchase a cordless phone and bring it outside, or to just let the phone ring, but will your baby-sitter use the same good judgment? Remember that most child drowning victims were left unsupervised for five minutes or less. Even though you're going to enforce the no-swimming rule for periods during which you leave your children with a sitter, make sure the baby-sitter knows CPR, anyway. It's a good insurance policy.

If a child is struggling in the water and a rescue is necessary, jump into the water with a flotation device. Place it between you and the child to give you both something to grab on to. Water-safety experts have stated that in the midst of water rescues, both the rescuer and the victim often end up underwater in a struggle, as the victim panics and thrashes.

During the winter months, cover your pool securely. Make sure it's strong enough to withstand the weight of a child and perhaps even an adult if they should fall. After a rain shower, make sure you drain the water that collected on the top of your pool cover. If a very young child falls on top of the cover, even a shallow collection of water could cause him or her to drown.

If you've got a neighborhood crime watch organization or child-safety organization, distribute a newsletter reminding everyone -- whether they own a pool or not -- of these safety tips, particularly those regarding fences.

Summer is here in full force. Enjoy it without worrying about your children's safety. Their best summertime memories often center around water. Make sure everyone knows the rules. It will keep your kids confident in themselves. Best of all, you'll be confident in their safety.

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Published: July 14, 1999

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