Two Seconds is too Late:

Planning Prevents Pool Tragedies

Ahh, summer...happy times happy times filled with backyard barbecues, beaches and parties! Unfortunately, summer is also when there are the most pool drownings. In fact, drowning is now the number one cause of death for children under two.

Most parents feel as long as we watch our children, no harm can become them, right? Actually, the opposite is true. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a lapse in parental supervision is responsible for drowning accidents almost 70% of the time. Parents who thought they were only away for "two seconds" found out how quickly tragedy strikes.

So how do you protect children from a pool tragedy? The answer lies in a system called "layers of protection", which provides several levels of back-up as a supplement to parental supervision. Here's where to start:

Firm Fencing - Pool fences are by far the most effective deterrent against drownings. But pool fences are not like garden and yard fences. They must be properly designed for pool protection. Fences should be at least 4 feet high and designed to be "non climbable". With chain link fencing, for example, this means the mesh opening should be 1 1/4 inches or less, too small for a toddler to get a toe hold on. With iron fences, spacing between vertical bars can be no more than 4 inches. Horizontal supports must be mounted facing the pool and spaced greater then 45 inches apart. The weakest link in all fencing is the gate. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching so they slam shut if inadvertently left open. Moreover, gate latches should be mounted at least 54 inches off the ground and have child-proof release mechanisms.

Fence specifications vary by municipality so be sure to check with your town's building code officials or a professional fence contractor before starting.

Cool Covers - Next to fencing, pool covers provide the maximum amount of protection. There are several choices to make. Basic vinyl covers that are loosely applied and held down with weights may keep the pool clean - but these covers can become unsafe if children fall in and get trapped inside the fabric. A better choice is a self-draining mesh cover. Using a spring-based fastening system that disappears when the cover is not in use, these covers are stretched taught across the pool and can support the weight of a child plus several rescuers. Mesh covers cost about $800, support up to 3500 pounds and have up to a 10 year warranty.

Another high-tech product to consider is an automatic pool cover. These covers are motor driven and, with the flick of a switch, automatically creep across the pool to seal out access to the water. The convenience of motor driven covers make it possible to use them between swims, instead of only at the end of the season.

Awesome Alarms - High tech advances in alarms have made these a "must have" for every home that has a pool. Several types of alarms are needed as follows:

Door Alarms - These battery powered alarms are installed on exterior doors leading to the pool. If the door is opened without depressing a child-proof bypass button, the alarm sounds within 7 seconds and stays on until disabled by an adult. The alarm is also effective in preventing an adult from leaving a door open. If a door is left open for more then 10 seconds, even after pressing the bypass button, it rings again. Door alarms are an inexpensive way to make sure everyone in your house thinks about pool safety.

Fence Alarms - These work just like door alarms but are designed to be used outside for fence gates. Fence alarms can be effective in alerting an adult to an unsupervised child that may wander into the back yard.

Pool Alarms - Pool alarms are designed to detect the "splash" that occurs if a child falls into a pool. The alarm works by monitoring variations in water pressure and activates a remote receiver which sounds the alarm inside the house. While these may provide emergency notification if a child falls in, they should only be used as a last resort. Pool alarms are not a substitute for fences, covers or any other protective measure possible. These devices can be susceptible to false alarms caused by such things as wind or wildlife that lands in the pool. More importantly, even if the alarm works when you need it, it may be too late since the child has already fallen in.

Nothing can be a substitute for watching children around a pool. But by utilizing layers of protection, parents gain an important backup tool for those times when they, like most people, just can't be perfect.

For more information on childhood drowning prevention, contact the Consumer Product Safety Commission by calling 1(800) 638-2772 or write to Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington DC 20207 and ask for Publication No. 362. Information is also available by visiting their web site at http://www.cpsc.gov.

Tom Kraeutler is a hands-on home improvement broadcast journalist and the kind of guy homeowners want to call at midnight when their basement floods. He earned his home improvement stripes as a professional home inspector, amassing over 20 years experience learning how houses are put together, and how they fall apart! Tom appears regularly on CNN, MSNBC, The History Channel, HGTV and the DIY Network. He's a columnist for House Beautiful and do! Magazine and his work has been featured in Smart Money, Reader's Digest and in hundreds of daily newspapers across the nation.