Each year, approximately 250 children under the age of five drown in swimming pools. In fact, it is the second leading cause of accidental death among children in this age group. Many parents and caregivers think they'll hear a child in distress, but the tragic truth is drowning happens quickly and without warning.
Adult supervision is the most important protection against accidental drowning, but two thirds of toddler drowning incidents happen when parental supervision fails and there's no backup system in place. In order to prevent toddler drowning, you must think in terms of layers of protection.
|
 |
| |
|
For doors that open out onto the pool area, it's a good idea to equip them with an alarm. When the door is opened, after about 7 seconds, the alarm will sound. You can silence the alarm by pushing a button on the side. If an adult wants to use the door they can open it, press the button, and pass through.
|
 |
| |
|
| A fence that runs all the way around the
pool is a great second layer of protection. The absolute minimum
height is four feet, but as an added precaution, never put a
piece of furniture close to the fence, as it could act as a
ladder for a toddler.
A self closing gate is yet another precaution. Mount the self
closing latch on the outside of the gate and so the
gate swings
away from the pool. The latch needs to be installed
so the knob on top is, minimally, above 54 inches -- high enough
so a toddler can't reach it. When you let go of the gate, it
should close and latch automatically. If your gate latch and
hinges don't work perfectly, then you should seriously consider
replacing them. |
 |
| |
|
| Ron featured adjustable self-closing hinge called the Tru-Close Multi-Adjust Hinge. To install these, first mount the base plates to the post and gate and then bolt the hinges to the plates first on the gate side and then on the post.
|
 |
| |
|
| The spring itself is completely concealed and the tension is easily adjusted with a screwdriver.
|
 |
| |
|
| Ron also featured a self latching mechanism by Magna-Latch. This installs easily by first mounting two brackets and then slipping the latch mechanism into place. The latch is secured with a screw that is concealed when the gate is closed.
|
 |
| |
|
| The latch mechanism is magnetic therefore there are fewer moving parts making it more reliable. The gate can also easily be locked with this mechanism, which adds one more layer of safety. |
 |
| |
|
| The next precautionary measure is to install a gate alarm.This battery operated alarm is easily mounted to the gate with just a couple of screws. Magnetic sensors are then attached to both the gate and post. If a child is somehow able to operate the latch and pass through the gate, the alarm will go off automatically. It can be silenced by pushing a button on the side.
Find out more about the Poolguard gate alarm.
When an adult wants to pass through the gate, they simply open the gate, push the button, and then pass on through. The alarm will not go off. |
 |
| |
|
Another fence alternative is one made of nylon mesh, designed to be set up as needed. Aluminum posts slip into holes that have been bored in the pool deck. The fence goes up in sections that clip together with bolt snaps. Although this fence may not look very strong, it actually is quite tough. And because it's nylon mesh, children can't get a hand hold or a foot hold and climb over. This fence also includes a self closing and self latching gate that is also well out of the reach of toddlers. Probably the best thing about this fence is that when you don't want it or need it, you can take it down in a matter of minutes.
Find out more about the Life Saver pool fence. |
 |
| |
|
| Another good layer of protection is a pool alarm. This will alert you if a child falls into the pool and there's nobody around. The alarm simply sits on the side of the pool and is activated by a change in water displacement. The surface disturbance caused by a falling child will set off the poolside alarm, which in turn, sends a signal to a remote unit inside the house.
Find out more about the Poolguard pool alarm.
|
 |
| |
|
An alarm like this will not always be activated by a child who climbs or walks into the water, and that's why the Safety Turtle was designed. A band is locked onto a child's wrist at times when they might have access to the pool. Once that wrist band gets wet, the alarm goes off. It can be operated by battery or plugged into a household circuit.
Find out more about the Safety Turtle.
As good as all of these devices are, and even when several are in use at the same time, nothing is a substitute for supervision. But since we're all human and anyone can have a momentary lapse of attention these added layers of protection just make good sense.
|
 |
| |
|
