Immediate Release Contact: Justin Meyers
July 27, 2007 (516) 869-7610
Town of North Hempstead Offers Pool Safety Tips
Manhasset, NY- With the summer season upon us, North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Councilman Tom Dwyer offer pool safety tips. Each year thousands of children are injured or killed by drowning in a pool. Many of the cases could have been avoided by practicing good pool safety, and using preventative measures.
“The Town of North Hempstead has taken a progressive stance on pool safety measures, and holds regulations above what the State and many other local municipalities require,” Kaiman Said. “The town requires all residents who own a pool to follow the requirements set fourth in the town code when installing and maintaining a pool.”
The Town code, among many other regulations, stipulates, “The pool shall be equipped with a cover approved by the Building Department of the Town and shall be of sufficient strength to protect against accidental entry into the pool. The pool shall be covered at all times when containing water and not in use.” A full copy of the town code can be found at www.northhempsteadny.gov, section 70-102 outlines pool requirements.
Nationally, drowning is the leading cause of accidental injury related death to children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of accidental injury related death among children ages 1 to 14; many of these cases occur in the child’s own backyard. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an estimated 260 children under five years of age drown each year in residential swimming pools and spas. The Commission estimates that another 3,000 children under age five are treated in hospital emergency rooms following submersion accidents each year. Some of these submersion accidents result in permanent brain damage.
“Many people feel that because they don’t have small children they don’t have to take the same precautions as those who do,” said Councilman Dwyer. “But in reality every pool or hot tub brings risk of accidental drowning, a child can walk in to your back yard at any time.”
A swimming pool in the yard can be very dangerous for children. Practicing the following safety tips can help protect your children from drowning.
- Never leave your children unsupervised in or near the pool, even for a moment.
- You must put up a fence to separate your house from the pool. The Town requires the installation of a fence at least 6 feet high around all 4 sides of the pool. As well as the use of gates that self-close and self-latch from the inside, and out of reach of your children.
- Always keep a telephone and rescue equipment (such as a life preserver, or a rescue hook) by the pool.
- Remove all toys from the pool after use so children aren't tempted to reach for them.
- After the children are done swimming, secure the pool so they can't get back into it.
- Never use a pool with its pool cover partially in place, since children may become entrapped under it. Remove the cover completely.
- Anyone watching young children around a pool should learn CPR and be able to rescue a child if needed. Stay within an arm's length of your child. The Town offers CPR Training courses to all residents multiple times per year. The town sponsors the training courses with the National Safety Council Adult and Pediatric CPR and AED (Automated External Defibrillator). Training and certification courses are held at North Hempstead Town Hall. For more information please call 311.