Pool Safety Thread

[Hornin04 261]

Background: We live in the northeast and bought a house with a nice pool.  Previously we had thought a pool was a no-go with our 3 young kids, but this house was exactly what we wanted and the pool and outdoor entertainment area is really nice.  So we aren't moving into this new house for a little while (rent back) but in the meantime my 3 year old daughter just almost drowned at the local pool club this past week right in front of a lifeguard.  It was the scariest moment of my life getting the phone call at work.  Long story short, she is fine but was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and watched overnight to be sure.  My wife is really shaken up (she witnessed it, I didn't) and we are both second guessing this whole pool thing.

Luckily, this pool already comes with a very nice automatic cover (aquamatic systems) that when closed has no gaps and can support a 400+lb bear walking on it (happened to a friend).  Only way to open it is with a key. There is also a square-shaped adjacent hot tub that doesn't have a cover.  We are wondering if we bite the bullet and put an aquamatic cover over this as well.  There's a fence around the perimeter of the yard, but nothing that guards the pool from the yard.  I'm already planning on looking into another segment of fencing to divide the pool from the rest of the yard.  But what other security measures have people here tried?  I have read about pool alarms and bracelets for kids.  This house is very tech-forward (all pool controls are accessible from a system in the wall that controls everything else in the house like sound, alarms, cameras, etc).  I'm thinking about adding some connected outdoor cameras around the pool to detect motion.  I haven't yet found a "smart" pool alarm system that I could integrate to the smart home system or with an app on my phone.  

Also we plan on continuing to make sure our kids are all as good of swimmers as possible (7 yr old is pretty good, 5 year old uses a floaty but is in lessons, and 3 yr old was in lessons already but can't swim a lick, obviously).  Wife and I are going to certify for child cpr (re-cert in my case).  

Any feedback appreciated.  

[Gil Bang 26006]

No substitute for a real fence with a self-closing gate. Put lock and chain on gate when you aren’t out there.

[kmac30 416]

What happened with your kid? And it’s not going to be your kid, it will be someone else’s. My kid almost drown in a friend’s pool 2 yrs ago. I pulled her out. Scariest moment of my life and I will never forget the look on her face. She didn’t make a sound. 10 kids, 10 adults standing around (most not paying any attention to any of the kids in the pool).

People have to watch their kids if they are swimming.

[Gil Bang 26006]

We had a pool party for a kid last summer.  We hired a lifeguard.  Cost $100 bucks for a young woman that's certified, and works at the local waterpark.  Well worth it. The adults concentrated on drinking and eating.  The lifeguard watched the pool. IIRC, the pool was "open" for 3 hours, after that, swimming was over and the kids did other shit. 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Gil Bang

[EE2B 1565]

Your wife put a 3 year old in the pool that obviously has water that is over her head and did not get in with her? Lifeguard or not, I don’t let my kids that can’t swim into the water without me if it’s over their heads.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

51 minutes ago, EE2B said:

Your wife put a 3 year old in the pool that obviously has water that is over her head and did not get in with her? Lifeguard or not, I don’t let my kids that can’t swim into the water without me if it’s over their heads.

Our daughter was taking her first swimming lesson at our gym.  They had all the kids lined up, sitting on the edge of the pool. The wife just happened to be there watching, and our daughter just kind of leaned forward, and boom she was in 5' deep water sinking right to the bottom.

The wife, in her business suit drops in, shoes and all, scoops her out, and does her best "oh this is no big deal you silly goose", so our daughter didn't freak out.  

We've often wondered what would have happened had she not just happened to be there.  

Gotta protect those precious little tax write offs...... err little dears...

[Bernard 879]

Install a fence until the kids are old enough to be trusted around the pool unsupervised. You can remove the fence later.

Bernard

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

19 minutes ago, Bernard said:

Install a fence until the kids are old enough to be trusted around the pool unsupervised. You can remove the fence later.

Bernard

And door monitors/alarms for any door that opens onto the pool deck

[CooterBrown 18027]

She didn’t make a sound.

That’s drowning. There’s no yelling, flailing around, or a long drawn out process. You just silently quickly sink.

I didn’t know any of that until I read an article about it. Freaked me the fuck out.

[APMP 688]

What happened with your kid? And it’s not going to be your kid, it will be someone else’s. My kid almost drown in a friend’s pool 2 yrs ago. I pulled her out. Scariest moment of my life and I will never forget the look on her face. She didn’t make a sound. 10 kids, 10 adults standing around (most not paying any attention to any of the kids in the pool).

 

People have to watch their kids if they are swimming.

Pools scare the hell out of me ever since I became a dad. It's so easy to assume that somebody else at the party is watching the water. So now I've decided to just stay in the water all day when we are somewhere with a pool.

 

[Chico_SA 521]

7 hours ago, Horny04 said:

  (she witnessed it, I didn't)  

 

I don't get this.  She witnessed it, but your daughter almost drowned and had to go by ambulance. ? 

Perhaps she witnessed the aftermath? 

I'm a water person, but I get overly nervous with my 5 and 3 year old at the pool. My 3 year old is fearless and jumps in and sinks.  But I'm always with him and pull him out in time for him to throw up a little water.

I just think with water you have to have a healthy respect.  If I was going the pool route, I would be nervous all the time. And be a little extra careful. 

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Chico_SA

[Chico_SA 521]

Ok.  I apologize that I came across as an ass.  Things happen. 

Glad all is ok.  Scary to think about. Again.  It all comes down down to having that respect for what COULD happen.  You will be fine and enjoy it. 

My neighbor has a pool and my 5 year old loves to talk to him through the fence all the time. Today they invited us to use the pool anytime we want.  I know my son heard that.  The pool is fenced but our yards are open to each other.  I know I'm going to have to continue to remind my adventurous son that that means "with us only".  He can't reach the latch to get in, but that doesn't make me completely comfortable when they are out playing on their own. 

[Hornin04 261]

For the assholes who are taking time to judge without knowing anything, no my wife didn't put her in the fucking pool. She took her floaty off to pack up and leave the pool and turned her back on her for an instant. My daughter somehow got in the pool, don't know if intentionally or not, and was pulled out by the lifeguard not breathing and looking blue, per my wife. CPR was briefly started but she started coughing up water and vomited quickly. Ambulance was called and she was evaluated in the ER and admitted overnight as a precaution. My wife witnessed her being pulled out, and for that instant thought our youngest child was dead. No she did not just stand and watch her drown. My baby was within 10 feet of a spaced out lifeguard according to all nearby accounts. Another mom saw her in the pool and asked the lifeguard if she was OK, and he said he thought she was just swimming (a small for her age 3 year old). Said mom insisted he jump in and get her and he did. They estimate she couldn't have been under more than 2 minutes but it was much less than that per my wife's recollection, but obviously enough time to almost be a much more serious situation. This was around the 3 foot section of the pool.

My wife never lets them swim unsupervised and is one of the most cautious moms at the pool. The only time they aren't in floaties (my 3 and 5 yr old) is coming in and walking out, which is likely to change. And my wife is so distraught and guilty about the whole situation she's probably going to need counseling.

I didn't post to tell the whole story, I just wanted recs for home pool safety. But there it is.

[Xminus6 790]

To answer your question, you can get a high-tension net cover for it rather than installing an automatic cover. Grommets are installed around the perimeter and a net is hooked into the grommets and pulled very taught using a ratcheting lever. We had one on our whole pool and it was very strong. A fence around our pool was going to be really impractical because of the layout of the yard.

[texasjacket 289]

10 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

We had a pool party for a kid last summer.  We hired a lifeguard.  Cost $100 bucks for a young woman that's certified, and works at the local waterpark.  Well worth it. The adults concentrated on drinking and eating.  The lifeguard watched the pool. IIRC, the pool was "open" for 3 hours, after that, swimming was over and the kids did other shit. 

This right here. 

[Chuychanga 133]

I’d get the five year old out of the floaties. All they will do is delay the learning to swim process. Same as training wheels on a bike. They both help teach the stuff that’s not really important in the beginning, pedaling and doing some sort of stroke up on the surface of the water. Both also prevent learning the most important things, balance on a bike and being calm underwater in a pool. 

Edit:  I may have misread that. Maybe you meant a float toy like a noodle or something and not floaties attached to their arms. 

Edited August 20, 2018 by Chuychanga

[SMUlawUTgrad 81]

We have an almost two year old. Within the first week of moving into our house we out in a pool fence that automatically shuts that he cannot open himself. The back door stays locked but when it is opened an alarm goes off.

 

Oh yea, he’s also already in swim lessons because he has to know how to handle himself near the water.

 

The fear I really have is other kids.

[Chilly Water 417]

We installed a 4 ft vinyl fence around the perimeter of our patio to keeps the kids and dogs awayfrom the pool area. Looks similar to this

We now also ask everyone that comes over to leave their cell phones inside after a close call with one of my nieces almost drowning while my BIL had his head up his cell phones ass.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Chilly Water

[gasman 114]

We installed a mesh fence with a self locking gate while the kids were young. It's a modular design so The fence could then be removed and the holes plugged once the kids got older. There is no substitute for a fence around the pool with young kids. Any alarms (assuming the splash guard works) just tell you that the kid is already in the pool.  

[52-80 19241]

17 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

No substitute for a real fence with a self-closing gate. Put lock and chain on gate when you aren’t out there.

agreed - lock and chain is most effective

 

 

 

[Chuychanga 133]

He’s worried about the kids, not the wife. 

[DalTxHornFan 3116]

Hits close to home.  I had a cousin that drowned at age 5.  We held off on getting a house with a pool until the youngest was 6 and a swimmer.  The other thing we did was enforcing a strict "buddy rule" with our kids -- nobody could be in the pool alone.

[Jkwellborn 6732]

Can’t believe no one asked for pics of his wife.

If my kids are in the water, I’m in the water. If they are near the water, I’m near the water. I hate the fucking water. Shit happens with kids.

I saw a kid drown at a wedding reception. I think they might have resuscitated him, but it was bullshit that should never have happened.

Op, I’d get a cover for the hot tub that the kids can’t lift.

[SHOOTER12 8826]

16 hours ago, Bernard said:

Install a fence until the kids are old enough to be trusted around the pool unsupervised. You can remove the fence later.

Bernard

 

16 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

And door monitors/alarms for any door that opens onto the pool deck

Yes, and yes, with the exception of removing the fence later.  You would be amazed how many neighbor kids will be monitoring whether you are home or not to go swimming.  While the fence may not keep out older kids, you will be showing that you are taking proactive measures for safety and your insurance rates may actually be lower. (Mine were)  The door monitors/alarms are great also, especially with toddlers around who are not necessarily going to get in the pool, but rather sneak out and go wandering.

I wish I could remember all the logic presented to me to keep ours when our kids got older, but unfortunately don't other than it made damned good sense.

Edited August 20, 2018 by SHOOTER12

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

20 minutes ago, SHOOTER12 said:

 

Yes, and yes, with the exception of removing the fence later.  You would be amazed how many neighbor kids will be monitoring whether you are home or not to go swimming.  While the fence may not keep out older kids, you will be showing that you are taking proactive measures for safety and your insurance rates may actually be lower. (Mine were)

I wish I could remember all the logic presented to me to keep ours when our kids got older, but unfortunately don't other than it made damned good sense.

Yeah, never remove the fence. Your homeowners policy won't allow you to more than likely.  Your liability without a fence goes thru the roof, which you will lose along with your shirt, and the rest of the house, if someone drowns in your pool invited or not.

[Jkwellborn 6732]

I’ll never understand how you are liable for someone trespassing on your property.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

25 minutes ago, Jkwellborn said:

I’ll never understand how you are liable for someone trespassing on your property.

Me either, but that's way it is.

[Bernard 879]

Yes, and yes, with the exception of removing the fence later.  You would be amazed how many neighbor kids will be monitoring whether you are home or not to go swimming. While the fence may not keep out older kids, you will be showing that you are taking proactive measures for safety and your insurance rates may actually be lower. 

To clarify, I was referring to an additional fence specifically to keep kids away from the pool, but still allow them in the backyard. Unless you live in the sticks, your municipality almost certainly has an ordinance requiring a fence of minimum height to keep neighbor kids from wandering into your backyard on their own and finding their way into your pool.

Bernard

[Bernard 879]

On 8/20/2018 at 12:11 PM, Jkwellborn said:

I’ll never understand how you are liable for someone trespassing on your property.

My understanding is that if you don't have a fence or a sign saying keep out, it's not trespassing. 

Bernard

[Bernard 879]

Also, pool safety doesn't end with teaching your kids how to swim. Two brothers in Houston died when they decided to put a camping tent in their backyard pool. The tent floated on its own. When the boys jumped into the tent, it sank. They were trapped inside. Died.

Bernard

[Snake Diggity 4627]

#1 thing is having a tall fence with a self closing gate that is only around the pool.  You have that, you’re 90% of the way there.  I’m a complete spaz when kids are swimming at my house.  I have a 2 year old and a newborn and I won’t sleep worth shit until both can swim completely independently.  When people with kids come over to swim, I tell them “please keep a constant eye on your kid while y’all are out by the pool.”  Then I sing “Dead baby dead baby 1, 2, 3, 4...dead baby dead baby 1, 2, 3...” to the tune of Rump Shaker.  Nobody has drowned yet, but I have caught a couple dumbfucks not watching their kid that closely.

[Gene Parmesan 4014]

I would think you'd solve your problem of people coming over just by singing that song.

[El Diablo 4232]

29 minutes ago, Bernard said:

Also, pool safety doesn't end with teaching your kids how to swim. Two brothers in Houston died when they decided to put a camping tent in their backyard pool. The tent floated on its own. When the boys jumped into the tent, it sank. They were trapped inside. Died.

Bernard

That doesn't come under the "pool safety" umbrella. That's the Darwin theory at work.

[Jkwellborn 6732]

My understanding is that if you don't have a fence or a sign saying keep out, it's not trespassing. 
Bernard

Is Texas fence in or fence out?

[Poolflood 845]

Self latching and self closing gates around the pool.  

For parents out there before you buy a house with a pool or have a pool installed - and I've had this conversation with countless homeowners - the threshold for your children should not be "can they swim" but are they "water safe".  

They need to have a healthy respect for the water.  You need to be sure 200% that if they fall in accidentally that they have the presence of mind to "think not sink".

[SHOOTER12 8826]

14 hours ago, Bernard said:

Yes, and yes, with the exception of removing the fence later.  You would be amazed how many neighbor kids will be monitoring whether you are home or not to go swimming. While the fence may not keep out older kids, you will be showing that you are taking proactive measures for safety and your insurance rates may actually be lower. 

To clarify, I was referring to an additional fence specifically to keep kids away from the pool, but still allow them in the backyard. Unless you live in the sticks, your municipality almost certainly has an ordinance requiring a fence of minimum height to keep neighbor kids from wandering into your backyard on their own and finding their way into your pool.

Bernard

So was I.

[gyroprotagonist 2595]

On 8/21/2018 at 5:21 PM, Jkwellborn said:

Is Texas fence in or fence out?

the pool installer made it sound like Texas does not give a fuck if someone kicks down your fence, opens the gate around your pool and then drowns.  you would be liable.  To meet code:  We had to change the gate orientation so all the gates opened outward (supposedly to less prone to be kicked in).  there had to be a fence separating the pool from the street/alley.  Monitors had to be installed on all the doors that led outside.  The ones where it beeps, then you hit the button to stop the alarm from going off.

After the code inspector did the inspection, we took all that junk off and put the gates back to they way they were.

as to the OP, we had the same thing happen.  3yo at the time, was swimming with floaties.  everyone is drying off next to the pool and she decides step back in.  I saw the whole thing from about 5 feet away and jumped back in and got her, but will never forget her eyes just looking up at the surface.  No harm no foul on that one as she was only under for maybe 3 seconds.  That age, especially if they have older siblings that can swim w/o floaties, is really dangerous in that they think they can swim on their own just fine.

Had another scare when we were hosting a party for 6-7 year olds.  a younger sibling had gotten back in the pool w/o the floaties and was just bouncing on her toes to try keep her head up.  kids and adults were in the pool around her.  I saw her and jumped in and grabbed her and she was fine, but yeah, there is no noise or real struggling to hear.

We never really had any issues with our kids or guests 'sneaking' off to try and get in the pool when no one was swimming.  We use a catch-a-kid net system on the pool when summer is over and leave that on most of the year.

[El Diablo 4232]

3 year old drowned in apartment complex pool, mom charged. Jesus.

http://www.kwtx.com/content/news/Bellmead-3-year-old-drowns-in-apartment-swimming-pool-491766021.html

[Dahobbs 17680]

I have a two year old. I thought I wanted a pool. But y'all have convinced me I was wrong.

[Catpfish 618]

I actually do not have a fence around my pool.  Of course, my nearest neighbor is retired and about 150 yards away with two barbed wire fences in between.  Access to the house is through an electric (code required) gate and the house is about 200 yards from the road.  My insurance company was fine with me not having a separate fence once I showed them the satellite.  

Of course, all of that can/will change once grandkids are in the picture (hopefully, not for 7 years or more) and if/when all of the land to the west of me is developed.

 

[Elvis 3374]

Swim every single day with your kids until they can swim like fish.  It's fun.  

[HoustonHorn 1062]

Infant swim survival. If you have kids, do it. Pool or no pool.

[SHOOTER12 8826]

7 hours ago, HoustonHorn said:

 

 

Infant swim survival. If you have kids, do it. Pool or no pool.

 

 

Dayum. I'll be having nightmares now.

[HoustonHorn 1062]

It is badass and it works. Our older daughter did it when she was 9 months. A few months later we were sitting in the pool while she was stumbling around on the edge and she fell in. We were ready to grab her but just watched to see if it worked and sure as shit she popped back up and started floating on her back. Got her out and she was just fine and then took a couple more steps fell in again and came up floating on her back again.

 

It isn't easy to watch the training because they basically throw them in head first after about a day or two into the class and just work on them learning to float back up and flip themselves over. They aren't happy and they swallow and throw up a lot of water. But it fucking works and it's a peace of mind knowing they have that ability. Absolutely necessary if you have a pool and young kids and a great idea regardless because other people have pools. Older kids (2+) can be taught to grab the edge and get out or at least hold on.

 

When my kids were young we had a net installed around the pool and an alarm that beeped when a door was opened. Both good ideas as well.

 

Go do this with your kid. It doesn't make them scared of the water. My daughter's both love swimming now and it's the same for others I know who have done it.