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Averting tragedy

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Photo by Matthew Wisniewski

Automatic pool covers such as the one shown on this pool in Beloit, have grown in popularity in recent years as a safety measure for pools. The cover operates electronically or by the use of a key that is separate from all other pool equipment.

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Photo by Matthew Wisniewski

The operating switch of an automatic pool cover. Automatic pool covers have grown in popularity in recent years as a safety measure for pools.

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Photo by Matthew Wisniewski

Signs and stickers are also a popular sell for Wolter Pool Co. and are an important part of the complete safety of a personal pool.

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Photo by Matthew Wisniewski

A variety of pool safety devices on display at the Wolter Pool in Beloit but owner Kim Wolter also stresses the importance of swiming lessons.

Jodi West of Beloit was doing the dinner dishes when she heard the high-pitched squeal.

Panic set in.

At first she thought her children were in danger. But they weren’t. They were nearby.

Her next concern was for the neighbor’s child.

After running out to the backyard swimming pool, West found her 10-pound miniature dachshund floating motionless on the pool cover.

The weight of the family’s pet, which was OK, was enough to trigger the in-water motion-detection alarm system the West’s bought when they installed their 4-feet deep, aboveground pool that also was surrounded with a deck and gate. At the time, their children were 2 and 6.

“We wanted to be safe and secure,” West said. “If for some reason someone snuck in there, we’d have a very loud way of knowing they had fallen in the pool.”

West said the less than $100 cost of the alarm system was well worth it.

“It gave us a lot of peace of mind,” she said.

Each year, a nationwide average of 270 children younger than 5 drown in pools, according to a 2008 report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

And the average number of drowning deaths involving children in that age group has increased. During 2004, 234 kids drowned in pools. That number increased to 302 in 2005, the latest numbers available.

The report also said the majority of drowning deaths occur in residential settings and drowning is the leading cause of unintentional deaths to children ages 1 to 4.

Rock County has not had an accidental child drowning death in the past three years, said coroner Jenifer Keach.

Although the ways to prevent young children from accidental drowning are many, swimming lessons and automatic safety pool covers are recommended.

Automatic pool covers and pool alarms help prevent drowning. But swimming lessons are just as important, said Kim Wolter, co-owner of Wolter Pool, Beloit, and Todd Kurtz, who supplies pool products to Wolter’s store through Superior Pool Products of California.

Wolter said the family’s four-decade-old business sells pool safety devices such as floating swimwear, pool alarms and signs to post in the pool area. But in the past few years, the company also has sold automatic power safety covers that cost $10,000 to $12,000 to at least 75 of its customers.

“Once they shut the cover, they know their kids can’t get in. It’s piece of mind. You can walk across it, fall on it, but can’t get in because it’s locked. It’s worth the investment,” Wolter said.

Pool safety always is stressed to anyone who buys a pool from Wolter Pool, she said.

Upon purchase, pool buyers are given a packet of information, “The Sensible Way to Enjoy Your Aboveground or Inground Swimming Pool,” which is a publication from the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals. Safety is stressed throughout the material and focuses on supervision and layers of protection.

Wolter also said pool buyers need to check with their local municipalities regarding pool fence ordinances because they vary from one to another and change over time.

For added protection, buyers should call their insurance representatives and discuss any type of pool before it’s installed, local insurance agent John Wickhem of Janesville said.

“A swimming pool in the backyard is something your insurance company wants to know about. If you want to have liability coverage, you have to inform your insurance company so they have knowledge of that potential liability,” he said.

Wickhem said pool coverage can be an added cost or already might be incorporated into a homeowner policy.

“Each company is different,”' he said.

But when you apply for a homeowner policy, the application will ask whether you have a swimming pool on the premises.

“It’s a contract between you and the insurance company. You have to give correct answers and, if you don’t, the insurance company has a right to null or void the policy.”

A pool is meant to be a place of entertainment and enjoyment, Wolter said.

“That’s why we want to keep it a safe place.”

SAFETY TIPS

Numerous practices and products offer layers of protection to help protect swimming pool users, especially children younger than 5.

These are provided by the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals:

-- Never leave a child alone or out of your eyesight in or near the pool—not even for a second.

-- Keep toys away from the pool. A child playing with tricycles or wheel toys could accidentally fall into the water.

-- Do not place objects such as chairs or tables near the pool or fencing barrier that could allow a youngster to climb over.

-- Install fencing to isolate the swimming pool with a minimum 4-foot-high enclosure.

-- Install an automatic, power safety cover that completely covers the pool, blocking access to water. Cover is operated electronically or by a key independent of all other pool equipment.

-- Install a manual safety cover that provides an impenetrable covering that completely covers the pool blocking access to water.

-- Use door exit alarms that warn the adult when a child opens the door.

-- Use self-closing/self-latching devices for doors and windows to keep all doors and windows leading to the pool area securely closed, limiting access by children.

-- Use a fence gate closer and latch to make the pool inaccessible to a child.

-- Use fence gate alarms to sound when a fence gate is open.

-- Use infrared detectors, a wireless detection alarm that sounds when the area around the pool perimeter is entered.

-- Use a pool alarm in the pool that sounds upon detection of accidental or unauthorized entrance into the water.

-- Use an alarm on the child that sounds when the child exceeds a certain distance or becomes submerged in the water.

These additional safety tips were provided by waterwatcher.org:

-- Never let children swim unsupervised in a pool.

-- Have one person assume primary responsibility for supervising the pool and consistently enforcing pool rules.

-- Set pool rules and stick by them. Don’t allow running around the pool; insist on safe diving and proper use of diving boards, slides and water toys.

-- Clearly communicate pool rules to all people who use your pool.

WHERE TO FIND LOCAL SWIM LESSONS

Children ages 1 to 5 can learn to swim by enrolling at any of these local lessons:

YMCA, 221 Dodge, St., Janesville/(608) 754-6654; www.ymcajanesville.org

Parent/Tot classes

-- Shrimp dip for children ages 6 months to 3 years. This class is with a parent and introduces basic aquatic safety. Class focus is on fun, exercise and water adjustment.

-- Pre-Tadpoles for children ages 2 to 3 who are ready to be on their own with an instructor and without a parent. Although they might be cautious or fearful, they are ready to learn. Class is limited to four students.

Preschool classes (ages 3 to 5)

-- Tadpole for children who are fearful and cautious but are ready to be on their own with an instructor. Skills taught are submerging under water, jumping in and exploration swimming wearing a three-bubble belt down to a two. Maximum of four students.

-- Pike for children who have no fear of the water. Skills taught include submerging, jumping in, swimming 20 yards each on the front, back and side. Working on a two-bubble belt down to a one. Maximum of five students.

-- Eel for children who learn to swim on their front, back and side 20 yards with one bubble belt to none. They continue to develop front and back floats, glides and learn to tread water. Maximum of five students.

-- Ray for children who learn to swim over-arm front and back strokes for 20 yards without a bubble belt, rotary breathing, elementary backstroke and sidestroke. Maximum of five students.

-- Starfish for children who are confident and proficient in their swimming skills where refinement is emphasized in their front and back strokes, elementary back and sidestroke. Butterfly is introduced as well. Maximum of six students.

American Red Cross/South Central Wisconsin Chapter, 211 N. Parker Drive, Janesville; (608) 754-4497; http://southcentralwisconsin.redcross.org

Parent and Child Aquatics are designed for children ages 6 months to 5 years. This program builds swimming readiness by emphasizing fun in the water. Parents and children participate in several guided practice sessions that help children learn elementary skills, including water entry, bubble blowing, front kicking, back floating, underwater exploration and more.

-- Level 1 is an introduction to water skills to help students feel comfortable in the water.

-- Level 2 focuses on fundamental aquatic skills to give students success with fundamental skills.

-- Level 3 focuses on stroke development to build on the skills in Level 2 by providing additional guided practice.

-- Level 4 focuses on stroke improvement where swimmers develop confidence in strokes learned and improve other aquatic skills.

-- Level 5 focuses on stroke refinement to provide further coordination and refinement of strokes.

-- Level 6 focuses on swimming skill and proficiency to prepare students to participate in more advanced courses such as water safety instructor and life guard training.

City of Janesville Recreation Department, 18 N. Jackson St., Janesville, (608) 755-3030; www.ci.janesville.wi.us

-- Lessons are taught according to American Red Cross Standards. (See above). An adult must accompany the child in the water.

CSA Kids Sports & Arts Campus, 4113 Whitney St., Janesville; (608) 756-0444; www.csakids.com

Swim Like a Fish aquatics program:

-- Mini Fish and Little Fish—for ages 6 to 23 months spending time with parent to learn together. The classes help the child associate water with pleasure and fun rather than fear and anxiety. Students will be exposed to supported water activities and learn basic swimming skills.

-- Pewee Fish—3-year-old nonswimmer.

-- Super Fish—4-year-old and older water adjustment class that teaches beginner swim skills to nonswimmers in a caring and gentle environment with creative activities to make learning to swim fun.