From teaching kids to swim to putting up fences around pools, here are some things to think about
In less than a week, two three-year-old children have drowned in their own backyard pools in Ontario. These deaths have prompted new warnings from people who work on swimming safety.
The deaths in early summer show that there is still a risk of drowning.
The Life Saving Society of Ontario says that on average, 152 people die of drowning in Ontario each year. After a near-fatal drowning, an average of 98 people will be taken to the hospital, and 555 will go to the emergency room.
Stephanie Backalar, a spokesperson for the group, says that families, even those with young children, need to talk about this risk.
“They’re never too young to learn about water safety,” Backalar said.
Both of the recent drowning deaths in the Greater Toronto Area happened in backyard pools, which are more dangerous because there aren’t usually trained lifeguards there. The Life Saving Society says that certified lifeguards at beaches and pools are the safest places for kids to play near water. Even there, they say, lifeguards don’t take the place of direct parental supervision but add an extra layer of safety.
So, what can parents do this summer to keep their kids safe? This is what Backalar told CBC Toronto:
Eyes on children at all time
Everyone in the water should be watched closely and constantly. When kids are in the water, an adult should always be watching them. Backalar said, “Always, always, always keep an eye on kids when they are near water.”
This should be planned ahead of time, especially if there will be a lot of people on the scene. Halton police said that the Oakville incident happened while kids were at a birthday party.
Backalar said, “Be very careful, and make sure you know where your kids are.”
Put a life jacket o
Backalar said that children should always wear a life jacket, not just at the backyard pool but also on a boat, at the cottage, or anywhere near water where they could fall in.
Teach children to swi
The Life Saving Society of Ontario says that basic swimming skills are an important part of any effort to stop people from drowning. The Lifesaving Society teaches people how to swim, do advanced lifesaving, be a lifeguard, and be leaders.
Its “Swim for Life” program focuses on a lot of practice in the water to build strong swimming strokes and skills.
Put fences around pools in backyards
Backalar suggests putting fencing on all four sides of backyard pools.
“A lot of pools have fencing on only three sides, and the house is on the fourth side. We want you to put another barrier between your house and your pool so that your pool is completely surrounded by fencing. Any gates to your pool should also be self-latching, so that when you leave the area, they close behind you.
Bill 74, the Swimming Pool Safety Act, says that every person who owns a swimming pool in Ontario must build and keep up a fence around the pool.
Put alarms on the doors and gates
Backalar said that door and gate alarms are very important, even though many people might not think about them. “If your child does leave the house and an alarm goes off, you’ll know about it no matter where you are in the house, and you can act quickly. So, alarms on doors and gates are great.”
Get a safety checklis
On its website, the Life Saving Society of Ontario has a list of things to do to stay safe. Backalar says that homeowners shouldlook at the checklistAs a family, they should check to make sure their backyard pool is safe.