Stay Water Safe: Memorial Day Marks Opening of Pool Season

The Memorial Day signals the start of summer, and also marks the opening of community, neighborhood and backyard swimming pools

According to Safe Kids Georgia, drownings can happen any time of the year, but parents and caregivers need to be particularly vigilant during warmer months, when the number of drownings skyrockets.

“The majority of pool-related incidents occur at backyard, apartment complex and subdivision swimming pools,” Gwinnett Fire Captain Tommy Rutledge said in a news release.

Many of these facilities are “swim at your own risk” and require extra diligence from parents and caregivers. In 2014, Gwinnett firefighters responded to 17 drowning or near-drowning incidents. Though the numbers are down from 47 in 2011, safety officials say one is too many and all are preventable. Officials relate the decrease in numbers to aggressive.

One such program called “WATER WATCHER” strives to designate a responsible adult who agrees to watch-out for pool patrons, especially children in the water. The idea is to periodically rotate the duties to another responsible adult, so as not to be intrusive on any one person in particular.

“This is particularly important in situations where the pool becomes crowded or when there is no lifeguard provided,” said Bridgette Butynski, Safe Kids Gwinnett Coordinator.

In order to stay safe and enjoy the summer, safety officials suggest following simple pool safety rules:

• SUPERVISE: Never take your eyes off children in and around the water.
• USE BARRIERS: Fences, with self-closing/self-latching gates and secured doors with alarms, can prevent young children from wandering into the pool.
• AVOID ENTRAPMENT: Suction from a pool’s drain is so powerful it can trap an adult underwater. Be sure to check for and replace a missing or broken drain cover.
• LEARN TO SWIM: To stay safe in the water, all family members should learn how to swim. Wear an approved floatation device if you can’t swim.
• KNOW HOW TO RESPOND: Learn Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and basic water rescue skills.

For additional information on water safety, visit www.safekids.org. To schedule a water safety program, please contact the Gwinnett Fire Community Risk Reduction Division at 678.518.4845 or e-mail fireprograms@gwinnettcounty.com.

From Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services