BABY OTTER ANDRE’ DAWSON AQUATIC CENTER

PRESENTS

LAYERS OF PROTECTION AROUND THE

POOL AND HOME

by Marlene Bloom

DON’T LET YOUR CHILD BECOME A STATISTIC.

Take action NOW!

Only you can help stop drownings NOW!

It is time to become educated on the prevention of drowning.

Let’s take the first steps on safety so we can all be safe around water.

Parents and pool owners all need the knowledge to make the surroundings around the pool a safe environment. Here is a comprehensive, concise, and practical educational tool to assist people in recognizing and respecting the

deadly potential of unsafe conditions and behaviors around swimming pools.

LAYERS OF PROTECTION

Safety: A Pool Owner’s Visual Guide The time you spend watching this presentation

could one day save your child’s life.

In many areas, drowning is the leading cause of death in children

under the age of five. Can you imagine walking outside to your pool

and finding your child face down and lifeless with just the orange ball

floating in the water. In a state of panic and without the correct

information would you know what to do? Children drown in pools

every single day. This DVD will guide you through the critical steps

that every person MUST know.

PARENTAL SUPERVISION

• The number one layer of protection is parental supervision. You can never take your eyes off of your children while you are in or around a pool.

Questions about Parental Supervision:

•My children know how to swim, why do I need to watch them?

•No matter how old your children are, supervision is always necessary. At any time they can get a cramp and not be able to reach the side or steps. Always make sure that proper pool rules are being followed so no one gets hurt, and that your child does not over extend their ability by trying to do something that is beyond their capabilities. No swimmer should ever swim by themselves even if they happen to be an excellent swimmer. This goes for adults as well as children.

•While I am at work, should my babysitter be able to supervise our child in the water?

•We only recommend a babysitter supervising a child in the water if your babysitter has taken a CPR course, knows how to swim, has no fear of the water, understands every area of the DVD, and has access to a telephone to be used in emergencies only. You really have to trust your child’s caretaker to be able to allow him/her to supervise your child in the water. You need to discuss this participation with the caretaker so you know he/she feels comfortable in this position and review the pool rules that need to be followed. It is also recommended that when the time comes, the sitter review the rules with your child before they go swimming.

•How should I handle a situation when my child wants a friend to come over to go swimming?

•The most important issue to consider is, Do you want to be responsible for this child? If you do, then you need to talk to the parent of the other child. Ask what swimming skills their child is capable of performing. Are they comfortable in any part of the pool. Always ask, “If their child fell into the water would they know what to do?” If you are not sure about being completely responsible for that child, invite the parent to join you so they can keep an eye on their own child. Always explain the pool rules to your guests so they know what type of behavior you expect from them. This will usually make the experience run smoothly and everyone will be more comfortable.

•My older child is an excellent swimmer and very responsible. Should I allow him to be in charge of his/her younger sibling?

•We do not recommend leaving that type of responsibility on another child. It is difficult enough for adults to pay attention, you can not expect another child who is having fun in the pool to keep his/her eyes on a sibling.

It is important to have a fence around your pool. It will only help if you keep the gate closed.

Having furniture next to your pool fence is only an invitation to a small child to climb over. This has

occurred more than you realize.

4. Questions concerning Pool Fences:

•What type of pool fence should I purchase? – There are continual improvements in technology on fences that are in the market place. Pool fences are constructed of mesh material supported by aluminum poles. Check your local phone book or the internet for licensed pool fence dealers in your area. • Where can I find a contractor to give me a price on a pool? a fence? – You can call your local pool builders or pool supply companies if you do not have a pool fence company in your area. If they do not deal with pool fences; they will be able to guide you in the right direction. It might be wise to do some research on the internet to learn everything you need to learn about fences.

3. POOL TELEPHONE

Questions about telephones:

•Why is it important not to talk on the telephone while I am watching my children swimming in the pool? - Talking on the telephone is a distraction away from your children. The phone should only be used for emergencies only. Save your conversations for another time. Focus on what is going on in the pool at all times.

•What should I do if the phone is ringing? – Please do not answer it. Most phones have an answering machine. Let the answering machine take the call.

•I do not have a portable phone, what should I do? – Your phone company can install a phone jack outside. Have a phone that you can bring out and plug into the outside jack.

•Is it alright to use a cellular phone? – If you do not have a land phone that you can use, then use a cell phone. The only problem with a cell phone is that you can lose contact or your battery might lose its charge.

•The pool that my family uses is the community pool in our complex. What should I do? –Your complex should provide a phone that can be used for emergencies only. If they do not provide a phone, then your cell phone would be the best alternative.

4. Drain Covers Old drain covers should be replaced with the required safer drain covers.

SHEPERD’S HOOK The Shepherd's hook is an important tool that every pool

owner needs to have near the pool.

You never want to enter the water to make a rescue unless you are a lifeguard.

5.How do I use a Shepherd's hook and other safety devices?

A Shepherd's hook is used while you are standing on the deck of the pool extending the hook around the victim so you can pull the person to the side of the pool. Then you are able to pull them out of the water. This prevents anyone from entering the water and taking the chance of becoming a victim themselves. A life preserver can also be used if the person is conscious, but in trouble in the water. You throw the preserver to the person to grab while you hold onto the attached rope, then you can pull the person to safety.

7. Questions about Door Alarms:

•Why is it necessary to have a door alarm that beeps? – There are several reasons to have a door alarm that sounds every time the door is opened and closed. Most important, the alarm will alert you every time a child or adult opens a door. Hearing this beep should be your signal to know where your children are located. The first place to look is the pool. Secondly, if you are home alone and you hear the door being opened, it will indicate to you that an intruder has entered your home.

•Where can I purchase a door alarm? – If you already have an alarm system in your home make sure that contacts are on all doors and windows, also call your alarm company to have them set the chime or look in your alarm manual. You can set your system to activate the door chime. If you do NOT have an alarm system, you can purchase door and window alarms from Radio Shack and many other companies that can be found on the internet.

•I am hearing impaired, what can I use since I cannot hear an alarm? – You can have a flasher installed that will indicate there is a problem that needs to be attended too.

6. WATER LEVEL Did you know that the water level in a pool plays a very important role in the difference of a child being able to

save themselves? 1. The higher the level the easier it is for a child to

reach the top. 2. It is important to keep the water level high all year

long.

7. CPR Questions about CPR classes

2 very important questions….

1. If your child fell into the water would they know what to do?

2. Would you know what to do if someone fell into the water?

Questions about CPR Classes:

1.Where can I find a CPR class? – Check with your local fire department and/or hospitals. They usually offer CPR classes. If they do not, check with your local American Red Cross. We can recommend private certified instructors in our local area (Broward County, Florida)

2.How often should I take CPR classes? – Your certificate says every 2 years. We recommend every year. CPR methods are constantly changing, so to keep your loved ones safe, you should be aware of the latest techniques.

3.What type of CPR class should I take? – We recommend you learn all 3 age levels for CPR. With this type of training you should be able to handle any situation that might arise.

4.How soon should I sign up for a CPR class? – IMMEDIATELY – DO NOT WAIT!

5.How much are CPR classes? – You need to call your local hospital, fire department and/or the American Red Cross for pricing information

8. SWIMMING LESSONS

With proper instruction from adapted aquatics, children can learn

and must learn water survival.

What a wonderful social skill you can present to these children.

HOW MANY RULES YOU CAN REMEMBER?

You “Otter” be Safe Around the Water

The do’s and dont’s of being around or in a pool. Our objective is to make swimming a fun and safe environment. Let’s work together to make a drowning incident a thing of the past.

10 Safety Pool Rules

1. DO NOT RUN ON THE DECK.

REMEMBER TO ALWAYS WALK AROUND THE POOL

A wet deck can cause a slip and fall.

2. Being a good swim buddy means never pushing your friends

in or into the pool.

3. Don’t leave toys in the pool.

• When you are finished playing in the pool, remove all of your toys.

• A small child might see the toy in the water and try to enter the pool to reach for the toy.

• Your toys can get ruined from staying in the water.

4. No horseplay or rough play in the water.

• You never want to hurt your friends.

• Remember safe pool rules.

• Play nicely in the water.

5. Never swim alone.

• Parental guidance is the most important safety rule around the pool.

• Even good swimmers do not swim by themselves. This goes for adults too.

• Having a buddy system is a safe way to swim but you still need to have an adult watching.

6. Take a break.

• Swimming is fun and also hard work, so remember to take a break.

• Remember to have something to drink.

• Have a healthy snack.

• Rest before entering the water again.

7. USE SUNSCREEN Know the importance of using sunscreen. Don’t let your fun days turn into tragic days in the future. Be concerned about skin cancer.

7. Use sunscreen.

• When going out into the sun and swimming, always put on sunscreen.

• You can start to get a sunburn after being in the sun for only 20 minutes.

• You can get a sunburn by sitting in the shade near the water. It is caused from the reflection of the sun off of the water.

8. Be careful where and how you jump into the water.

The proper way to jump into the pool is to:

1. Have your toes over the edge of the pool so you can push off without slipping.

2. Jump straight out away from the wall.

• Never jump over the steps or the bench area in a pool.

• Never jump over people.

• Never jump near other people.

• Never run and jump into the water. You might slip and hurt yourself.

• Never turn in the air while jumping into the pool.

• Never grab for the side of the pool while you are jumping.

9. “Ready, Set, Go”

• If you are swimming off of the wall or steps to an adult, please make sure you tell them that you want to swim to them.

• Wait for the adult to say, “Ready, Set, Go”

10. ALWAYS REMEMBER….

• “IF YOU FALL INTO THE WATER –

• TURN

• KICK

• REACH

REVIEW OF HAZARDS

HOT TUBS When your hot tub is not in use you must keep it

securely closed and locked.

Always remember the following hazards:

1. Tubs, toilets and buckets

2. Spas and pool covers used properly 3. Pool toys left in pool

4. Above ground pools – remove ladder when not in use.

5. Safety equipment should be within 4 feet of the pool.

6. Know how to turn pump off. 7. Take all swimmers out of the

pool to answer a door bell or check something in the kitchen.

8. Make sure pool fence is closed every time you leave the pool.

9. Know CPR 10. Don’t let distractions interrupt watching your children in the pool (changing or feeding the baby, the

dog, telephone ringing, etc.). 11. List all emergency numbers.

Questions concerning the Weather:

•What should swimmers do if they hear thunder or see lightening?

•As soon as you hear thunder or see lightening, exit the water immediately. You must do this even if the sun is shinning in your location because lightening can travel miles away from the storm. Lightening will strike water quicker then land.

Questions about pool equipment care (pumps, drain covers, chemicals, etc.):

1.Can I care for my own pool or should I have a pool service? – That is a personal decision. To care for your own pool, you need to understand how your pump system works, how to clean your pool (water chemical levels, sweep the pool, vacuum the pool and clean tiles). You need a safe place to store all chemicals out of the reach of children, how to use the chemicals properly, and how often chemicals need to be used. You can take a sample of the water to your local pool service store and they can analyze the water giving you the proper chemical for caring for your pool. If you do not have the time to devote to the proper care of your pool, then we highly suggest you hire a pool service.

2. What type of service can I expect from a pool service company? You can contract for different types of service. The pool company can be hired to be responsible for just the chemicals in your pool or they can be responsible for cleaning the pool, plus adding chemicals.

3. How often should the pool be cleaned? Residential pools should be cleaned by the pool service at least once a week. Depending on the usage of your pool, will determine how often you should contract the company to service your pool. Be very clear with the pool service company that the pool fence gate must be closed when they are finished. Inform them that one time it is left open; their service will be terminated immediately.

4. Where should my cleaning equipment and safety equipment be stored? Pool chemicals should be locked up out of the reach of children. Pool cleaning equipment should be stored up off of the ground in a safe location. Safety equipment should be within 4 feet of the pool, especially the Shephard’s hook and life preserver.

5. Why is it important to know how to turn off the pool pump even though I have a pool service?

If someone gets their HAIR, ARM or LEG caught in the drain, the time it takes you to reach the pump and turn it off means the difference between life and death. No matter how strong you are it is impossible to pull someone out of the drain because the force of the water going into the drain is too strong. You must turn off the pump to release the person. Everyone in the family should be taught how to turn the pump off, even children. Today there are required safety drains. Call a pool service company to make sure your drain cover is the correct cover and installed properly.

6. Should a lock be placed on the pump control box so children can not play with the controls?

Because of the dangers of someone becoming caught in the suction of the drain cover, you need to be able to turn off the pump immediately. If the control box is locked, then you have created another barrier in the time you can turn the pump off and release the person trapped in the drain.

7. Do I still need to know how to care for my pool even though I have a pool service?

It is wise to have the knowledge about how to care for your pool. You need to test the chemicals in the water every few days. If the chemicals are not correct, you need to know how to add additional chemicals or call your service to come out and add the chemicals. Check your contract because they might charge you extra for the additional trips to your home.

9. Are there certain times of the year when more chemicals are needed? Yes, during rainy seasons and summer time when the pool is being used more and the sun evaporates the water and chemicals. If you are using a pool service you should ask them to leave an extra container of chlorine so you can add the chlorine when needed. Only keep the extra chlorine around if you have a safe place to store the chemicals. Ask your pool service the proper way to administer the chemicals.

Water is empowering to special needs children.

Give them a safe and positive

experience.