Practice Proper Pool and Water Safety This Summer

This month, Daggett Shuler, Greensboro and Winston-Salem Accident and Personal Injury attorneys, are observing National Safety Month by helping to spread awareness about some common dangers in our homes, on our roads, and in our communities. This week, we would like to focus on proper safety tips around pools and other bodies of water.

Summer is upon us, and many students in grades K-12 have either recently started, or will shortly begin their summer vacations, camp and summer break. This is an exciting time for students and parents alike, but this time of year also presents challenges in terms of making sure our younger population stays safe as they enjoy their downtime and outdoor activities.

Pool safety is a very serious issue that can have devastating consequences on children and their families. Thankfully, our public pools are monitored by highly-trained and skilled lifeguards that are in charge of enforcing the rules and ensuring that everyone enjoys the water safely.

Unfortunately, even with the proper supervision and safety precautions in place, accidents can still happen. Consider the following troubling statistics about pool safety, and the injuries that can occur around the water when children are left unsupervised:

• The US Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that between Memorial Day and Labor Day of 2013 alone, at least 202 children between the ages of 1 and 14 drowned in a swimming pool or spa.
• Of those 202 children, 143 were ages 5 or younger.
• Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children between the ages of 1 and 4.
• During the summer of 2013, 8 North Carolina children drowned in pools.
• This figure placed North Carolina at number 8 on the list of states with the highest number of pool and spa drownings of children under the age of 15 in 2013.

Another important factor to consider is that the decks and patios surrounding pools can become extremely slick and slippery when in use, leading to an increased risk of slip and fall injuries. For this reason, public pools strictly enforce “no-running” rules for all children and patrons.

If you are the owner of your own in-ground or above ground pool, it is important to keep these, and several other, common pool safety tips in mind this summer.

Here are some important pool safety tips that you can follow to help keep you and your children safe around the water this year:

• Teach your children to swim early on in their lives. The younger children are exposed to being in the water, the more comfortable and safe they will be as they get older. To enroll in youth swimming courses offered by your local North Carolina YMCA, click here for a list of locations.
• If you are the owner of a pool at your home, install a 4ft. high fence around the edge of the water. This will help ensure that young children cannot accidentally wander into the water, and can help avoid a dangerous situation.
• ALWAYS designate a supervisor if you have children swimming at your home pool. Even at public pools, an extra set of eyes on a child can never hurt. Lifeguards are highly trained professionals, but at a crowded public pool extra supervision is still a good idea.
• Keep kids away from drains, pipes and other openings in the pool. This can not only avoid damaging the pool itself, it can also help prevent children from getting stuck or entangled.

For more helpful pool safety tips, including more information about becoming certified in CPR and Lifeguard training, visit the Red Cross Pool Safety website here.

At Daggett Shuler, North Carolina Injury and Disability law firm, we want to make sure that everyone in the Greensboro, Winston-Salem and surrounding communities has a fun and safe summer. Enjoy the pool, beach, camp, or wherever else the summer months take you safely.

If you or a loved one has been injured by the negligence of another, securing the proper legal representation is the first step on your road to a full recovery. The North Carolina Accident and Injury lawyers of Daggett Shuler will review your case free of charge and help protect your rights.

Call us today at 336-724-1234 to receive a FREE, confidential consultation with an experienced Greensboro and Winston-Salem, North Carolina injury attorney. We will work with you from the start of your case through to the finish and ensure that your rights are protected.

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