Having a Pool Party in Phoenix? Think Safety First

Warm weather has finally descended in Maricopa County and the sunshine is once again strong in the area. With temperatures in the 90s making their appearance, many in the Phoenix area have already taken to swimming pools to relax and cool down for an hour or two.

It is also the time of year when children start having birthday parties that involve a pool or when adults relax in the water at a neighborhood event. If you plan to swim soon or if your children may be in the water, make sure you put safety first and address any water-related concerns before they arise so that everyone can enjoy themselves without a swimming pool accident taking place.

• Use Appropriate Barriers: The use of pool barriers can help prevent young children and others from accessing the water in your swimming pool. Each city in the Valley has its own requirements regarding fencing so make sure your pool is compliant with the laws that govern your home. Further, consider using a pool cover over the water’s surface or using a pool alarm that will sound when the water is disturbed so you can be alerted if someone does go for a swim.
• Keep Young Children Supervised: Many parents think they are supervising their children when their children swim in a pool but in reality, few are devoting their full attention to the task. If you have young kids, keep within an arm’s length of them in the water in case they get into trouble. If your children are older and you are sitting on dry land, keep your eyes on them at all times and resist the urge to check your cell phone, work on some gardening, or engaging in other activities that will divert your attention from the swimmers.
• Perform Regular Maintenance: Pools, like anything else, need maintenance to keep them in proper working order. Make sure you maintain the water, filtration system, and any chemical balances so that no one who encounters the water will be at risk for an infection or other ailment caused by unsafe pool water.
• Make and Enforce Pool Rules: It is a good idea to explain to everyone who will use your pool what safety issues and what rules you have and to enforce those rules when necessary. This may mean preventing swimmers from diving, prohibiting running near the pool’s edge, or keeping young children away from a pool’s filter. Whatever issues exist near your pool, create rules to address them and make sure the rules are followed.
• Encourage Safe Swimming: Safety experts agree that the best thing parents can do to keep their children safe near water is to teach those kids to swim. If your child is not able to swim or otherwise struggles in the water, consider enrolling her in an education program that will help her gain the skills she needs to stay safe in a pool. The same goes for adults and older Arizona residents who may need a little help with their water skills.
• Learn CPR: If someone goes underwater, the use of CPR until emergency responders arrive on the scene may be the difference between life and death. If you have a pool, make sure you know how to do CPR proficiently. If you learned many years ago, note that the guidelines and directions have been revised in recent years so you may want to take a refresher course. If others in your home do not know how to do CPR, look for local classes at area hospitals, public swim clubs, and even some of the schools so that your entire family can be as safe as possible.

Even with the best safety guidelines in place, a swimming pool accident or drowning may still happen, affecting the lives of a victim and all those who love that individual. If you or if someone you love was affected by a swimming pool incident in Mesa, Gilbert, Phoenix, Chandler, Scottsdale, Tempe, or elsewhere in Arizona, know that you may be entitled to financial compensation for your damages and for the harm that you sustained.

The personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. offer a case consultation without cost or obligation to all those who call us toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191. We understand that you may need assistance outside of traditional business hours so we have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call. Further, if we represent you in your case, we will never charge you a fee unless we are successful on your behalf and we will advance all costs associated with your claim.

When the unthinkable happens, think Abels & Annes, P.C. and let us fight for your legal rights.

Prior Blog Entry:

Automatic Emergency Braking Will Be Standard by 2022, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published March 24, 2016.