Sobering Lessons for Pool Safety
By Gina Dostler
Drowning is the state’s leading cause of injury-related deaths among children under 5 years old. As soon as a child can crawl, parents must take preventative steps to prevent them from gaining access to a pool or any water feature. Beth Bowlin of Kid Safe Pools helps parents make a safer pool environment for their children.
Q: Why did you start Kid Safe Pools?
A: I had been a stay at home mom for the past 20 years. When my daughter started junior high, my husband and I wanted to have a business where the whole family could be involved. This opportunity to do pool safety sort of fell in our laps and we jumped at the chance. As we got more involved in the business we realized the incredible importance of safety at the pool. It’s frightening how easy it can be for children to go in the water so quickly and drown. You’d think there would be splashing and noise. Not at all. There’s just silence. They sink in the same amount of time it takes to answer a phone. We soon realized we really had to get people educated on this.
Q: What do you recommend for anyone with a pool?
A: As I said, it takes only seconds for a child to wander into a pool and drown. There is no replacement for adult supervision and it’s imperative to have the child in your direct line of sight. Adults need to actively supervise children around water. Eighty-eight percent of children who drowned were under the supervision of a family member. And it’s just not for pools either. Spas, fountains and any other water feature can be the cause of an unhappy ending. If a child is missing anywhere in or around your house or yard, always check the pool first. Seconds count! It’s all about the ABC’s of pool safety.
Q: ABC’s?
A: Yes, A is for adult supervision. B is for barriers. And C is for classes such as CPR, swim lessons, rescue equipment such as a shepherd’s hook, life-saving ring, and a CPR sign mounted by the pool help keep others informed. Learning proper behavior around the pool, such as walk don’t run or no diving in anything less than 9’ of water makes the pool a much safer place to have fun. There is never enough precaution when it comes to child safety. Use multiple layers of protection such as safety covers, gate alarms, door alarms, window alarms and motion-detection devices. Inspect them monthly. Again, always, always keep the child in your direct line of sight. Also, pick up toys in and around the pool so a child isn’t tempted to try and get it.
Q: What are some good tips about having a pool or putting one in?
A: The fencing we put up is to help keep the younger ones out. But if they have older siblings it should be a must to have a self-closing gate installed. If the older children are playing in the pool going in and out, the gate might get left open. Another tip, I always tell my clients to have two pairs of scissors outside handy in a safe spot when the children are playing in the water. Long hair can get stuck in a drain and wet hair is nearly impossible to tear. Grab the scissors, cut the hair away and bring the child to the surface. And when you have large pool parties, you might think that with all the grownups at the pool it’s safe. But when it comes right down to it, nobody is really watching the pool. Be sure to designate one or two people to watch the water when kids are around.
Q: Do you get many calls from pregnant moms?
A: A lot of our clients are pregnant moms wanting advice and one of the things I mention when they have their baby shower, invite volunteer fireman. Probably every person at the shower will be baby-sitting at one point in time or another for the mother-to-be, so I say teach them all about safety. The firemen bring in a dummy baby, show how CPR is done, pass out informational sheets and answer any questions about pool safety.
Q: Are there certain barriers that work best?
A: Fencing around the pool with a gate that automatically closes shut is what we advise parents. Every city has its own pool safety code, some require gates that lock shut and others do not. The fencing we recommend is a removable mesh pool fence designed specifically to provide a safety barrier around residential swimming pools, spas and other water features including ponds. Its tension based so you can lean on it and it won’t fall over.
Q: Is the installation difficult?
A: What we do is drill 4” deep holes around the pool’s deck where the aluminum poles slide into and then we hook up the mesh fence to the poles. Our technicians install it in sections and when finished it is very easy and convenient to remove. It’s lightweight and can be pulled out, rolled-up and stored in the garage. The fences are available in several heights, 42”, 48” and 60”.
Q: What about pool cover or nets?
A: We do have them available. And they are great when the pool is not in use. But what I tell my clients is in the long run for most busy, on-the-go parents, they are too time-consuming to constantly be pulling on and off throughout the day. Covers and nets are great for the grandparents who might only use the pool when they have their grandkids for specific weekends and the rest of the time it goes unused.
Q: How long have you been helping people with pool safety?
A: I’ve been doing this for nine years. And my technicians have been installing for over 20 years. So that is approximately over 90 years of experience between the three of us! We cover all of Orange County. We truly enjoy helping our clients create the safest possible environment around their pools, spas and water features.
CONTACT INFORMATION.
Beth Bowlin, Kid Safe Pools
Costa Mesa, CA 92626, 949-6334293
