How to Stay Safe and Enjoy the Water
Summer is coming to Florida. Swimming pools are a great way to keep cool despite the heat and humidity, but swimming pools can be dangerous. West Palm Beach drowning lawyer Craig Goldenfarb has prepared this list of safety tips to help you and your family enjoy the pool and stay safe.
First the facts:
According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 3500 people are killed in drowning accidents every year. About 400 (11%) of these accidents occur in Florida, making Florida the top state for drowning deaths.
Florida is also the top state for near-drowning accidents. About 566 people a year are injured in Florida swimming pool accidents. The most common types of injuries which occur in swimming pool accidents include:
- Near drowning
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Injury to the spinal cord
- Disembowelment
- Injuries to the limbs
- Death
Some facts regarding swimming pool accidents in the U.S.:
- According to CDC data, over one quarter of drowning victims are children. Sixty percent of near-drowning victims are children.
- Children between the ages of one and four are most likely to be involved in Florida swimming pool accidents.
- Approximately one-fifth of children who are admitted to hospitals after near-drowning accidents sustain serious long-term brain damage.
- The lifelong cost of treating the injuries sustained by a swimming pool accident drowning victim can cost more than $4 million.
- Florida’s drowning rate is twice the rate for the rest of the United States.
- Negligence and defective pool parts are the two most common causes of West Palm Beach swimming pool accidents.
Florida swimming pool safety tips:
Most young children who become victims of swimming pool accidents are injured while at home. In most cases, the child had been out of sight for fewer than five minutes, and was in the care of one or both parents when the drowning occurred. Don’t assume your child is safe; it is worth the time and cost to take steps to prevent Florida swimming pool accidents.
West Palm Beach drowning lawyer Craig Goldenfarb suggests taking the following safety precautions:
- Install a pool fence which completely secures the swimming pool area. The fence should be, at minimum, 4 feet high with self-closing and self-latching gates which open outward. The latches should be out of the reach of children.
- Install automated door locks and/or alarms so children cannot access the pool area without an adult.
- Install a powered safety pool cover or other type of motor-powered barrier that will prevent accidental falls into the pool.
- Remove any flotation devices, balls, or other toys from the pool area when not in use so children aren’t tempted to enter the area.
- If the pool is above ground, remove all ladders/steps when the pool is not being used.
- Make sure that the pump’s shut off switch is clearly marked.
- Check all of the pool’s drains. Never attempt to use a pool with a broken drain.
- Use a pool drain cover with a dome-shaped design.
- Consider the installation of a Safety Vacuum Release System (SVRS), which will automatically shutoff when any type of blockage is detected.
- Get your pool inspected every year; all drains and other pool parts should be checked for integrity and safety at the beginning of the swimming season.
- Make sure there is an adult present whenever children are swimming. Do not rely on flotation devices.
- Take a CPR class. These are available through the Palm Beach Red Cross, 561-833-7711.
If you have lost a loved one to a West Palm Beach drowning accident, we are very sorry for your loss. If your loss occurred because another person failed to prevent the accident or because of a defective pool part, you may be able to file a Florida drowning lawsuit. We know compensation can’t erase your loss, but it can help you get the accountability you need.
If your child was injured in a near-drowning, a Florida drowning lawsuit can help you get compensation for their medical care and disability. To learn more, pleasecontact the Law Offices of Craig Goldenfarb, P.A. today to schedule a confidential, no-cost consultation with a West Palm Beach drowning lawyer.
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