Safety Group Advocates for Better Pool Safety

The safety of children who live in the Phoenix area is of utmost concern to the city as a whole, and it should be: after all, children are the next generation who will grow up to run businesses, teach in schools, and make Arizona an even better place to live. But despite all the efforts to keep our kids safe, accidents continue to happen every year and some of them tragically claim the lives of our most vulnerable members.

Among the threats faced by our kids are swimming pool accidents and drownings, an issue that reemerges every few months and with regularity during the hot summer days. Accidents like those involving a pool are frightening to parents because they take only a moment to occur and yet can alter a family’s course forever.  To prevent as many of these incidents as possible, each city in the Valley has established rules and regulations that apply to public and private pools with safety in mind, forcing owners to take action to limit unintended exposure of the pool to a child and to make it as hard as possible for young children to access the water without a parent’s knowledge.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is also concerned with swimming pool safety and is taking part in this week’s Pool Spa Patio Expo in Las Vegas as a result. Part of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s goal is to raise awareness of potential hazards associated with pools through the launch of a new safety campaign which strives to educate parents and other adults about what needs to be done to increase swimming safety.

The commission advises that all pool owners should have a fence completely surrounding their pools and that the fence have a gate that locks to prevent children from entering the swimming area unattended. Further, they suggest that an adult always be present when a child is near water and that adult be paying attention to the children. With the rise of modern technology, it is easy for parents to get distracted by cell phones, tablets, and television instead of watching the water. Though it might seem reasonable to look away for only a moment, children need just seconds to drown so it is critical that adults avoid distraction when they are supervising water activities.

An often overlooked piece of the safety puzzle is teaching children to swim. Even basic water skills can help a child move to the side of the pool and escape from the water if she falls in by accident, potentially saving her life. Numerous groups around Phoenix offer swimming lessons to children of all ages and some do so at reduced or no cost for those in need, making it possible for all of the Valley’s children to learn to swim.

Between January 1, 2015 and October 31, 2015, there were 41 water-related deaths in Maricopa and Pinal Counties and a total of 149 water-related incidents during that time period. That means that approximately 28 percent of the time a water accident took place this year, someone lost his or her life as a result. Of those that have been killed, 15 were children ages 0-5, one was a child between the ages of 6 and 12, two were teens aged between 13 and 17, and 24 were adults ages 18 and older. Phoenix reported the greatest number of water incidents and the greatest number of deaths during the current year.

Tragedy continues to happen to Arizona families every year and incidents involving swimming pools are playing a big role. If your child was hurt in a swimming pool accident or if someone you love lost their life in a pool, know that the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. are here to help you move forward financially. We offer a case consultation without obligation and without cost to all those who call us toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 and we have a lawyer available 24 hours a day 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 case-related expenses.

At Abels & Annes, P.C., we believe in fighting for the rights of those who have been hurt and their family members. If we can help you, please call us today.

Prior Blog Entry:

Senators Raise Concerns about Takata Airbag Fixes, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published November 16, 2015.

Resource:

Consumer Safety Group Highlights Swimming Pool Safety in Vegas, by Ken Ritter, Claims Journal, published November 13, 2015.

Water Related Incidents and Fatalities Reports, Maricopa and Pinal Counties, Children’s Safety Zone.