Over the last five years almost 100 Australian children under the age of five have died from drowning. We know that for every one death in this age group, a further 8 children are admitted to hospital after a non-fatal drowning.
While all these drowning deaths are preventable, it is the 52% that occur in home swimming pools where your immediate action can make a difference. Home pool fencing and effective supervision can reduce these tragic drowning deaths to zero.
Royal Life Saving Australia, Protector Aluminium and The Architects Choice are targeting every home pool owner with a basic reminder to check, fix and maintain their home pool and surrounds this weekend in order to eliminate child drowning.
Young children should never be in the pool area without close supervision – that means an adult no more than an arm’s reach away from them. Basic maintenance around the pool area can help keep children out at times when you aren’t enjoying the water together.
Where to start?
The first thing to check is the pool gate. The gate should swing close automatically and it should self-latch. Try pulling on it with the strength of a determined toddler. Does the latch stay locked? Put weight on the bottom rung of the gate and check whether you can then pull it open.
Never leave the gate propped open.
Fence panels
Depending on how long ago the fence was installed, the ground beneath may have been compromised or family pets may have dug underneath it. Check that the gap between the fence and the ground is no more than 100mm right the way around so little Houdini’s can’t find a gap to squeeze underneath.
Around the pool
Nothing makes children’s eyes light up like colourful pool toys. Store them out of sight in a sturdy, locked weather-proof box to help avoid temptation.
Have you got a clear, up-to-date CPR sign next to the pool? In an emergency, having that visual cue can make all the difference.
In the garden
Lightweight garden furniture is attractive and practical – and for little people, it can provide a useful climbing frame for getting over the fence. Similarly, trees, shrubs and trellises can be used to climb over fences.
Keep furniture away from the fence line and give any trees, shrubs or climbing plants around the pool a good trim.
Chemicals and Electricity
Just like cleaning chemicals inside the home, you want to make sure all pool chemicals are securely stored, out of sight and out of reach of children.
The key thing to remember is always to add chemicals to water – not the other way around. Use clean chemical containers so you don’t inadvertently create a science experiment in your backyard with residue from fertilizers or other Pchemicals.
A Residual Current Device (RCD) or Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB) can save lives. Do you have a RCD or RCCB on power supply?
Download our free Keep Watch Home Pool Safety Checklist
Royal Life Saving Australia, Protector Aluminium and The Architects Choice have a free home pool safety checklist which you can download free here: https://www.royallifesaving.com.au/homepoolsafetychecklist
Disclaimer: The Home Pool Safety checklist does not substitute for a pool inspection and is for educational purposes only. Pool owners should consider getting a professional assessment of their pool’s compliance.