As autumn returns, many Americans no longer feel the need to worry about keeping their families and friends safe around their swimming pools. However, since balmy weather graces Florida all year long, swimming pool safety is an important topic in every season.
According to FloridaHealth.gov, the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4 in Florida is drowning. Even if a child does not die from drowning, it only takes moments in the water to cause permanent brain damage, paralysis or other life-altering consequences.
While the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act mandates that pools have a physical barrier around them to keep children from accidentally drowning, this law only affects pools built after the year 2000. That means that up to 90 percent of the pools in Florida aren’t covered by the law. If you own a pool, be sure that a fence or other barrier keeps kids from falling in or swimming without adult supervision.
In addition to making sure your pool is properly contained by a fence or barrier, there are other crucial pool safety measures every Florida resident should take:
- Always supervise all children in or near a pool or hot tub
- Make sure your children know how to swim
- Keep kids from running in pool areas
- Make sure the pavement surrounding your pool is free of cracks or damage that could lead to a person tripping
- Consider investing in an underwater alarm for your pool
- Make sure your pool equipment is well-maintained
As personal injury lawyers in Florida, we have seen first-hand that it only takes moments for a drowning or near-drowning to change families forever. For more information and tips regarding pool safety, we encourage you to visit The Florida Department of Health WaterProofFL page. To learn more about possible compensation for families who have suffered as a result of an accidental drowning or pool accident, please contact us for a consultation.
