Young Child Drowns in Daytona Beach Pool
ABC 7 has the sad story of a six-year-old boy who drowned in a wave pool in Daytona Beach. The story is a grave reminder that parents must exercise constant vigilance when their young children are swimming in pools. Even stepping away from the pool for a couple minutes could lead to tragic consequences.
According to ABC 7, the young boy was playing in the pool with his nine-year-old brother when their father turned to attend to someone else. When the father turned back around, he saw only his nine-year-old. He assumed that the younger child had gotten out of the pool. Unfortunately, the boy had drowned.
No Life Jacket
The story has one detail that should raise awareness of pool safety. According to the story, the six-year-old boy was only wearing swim trunks while in the water and did not have a lifejacket on, which is required for children who stand under 42 inches. We don’t know the victim’s height, but wearing a jacket is always a good idea when children are very young or when they are inexperienced swimmers.
Other Pool Safety Tips
Although summer is soon over, Daytona Beach residents can swim year-round. However, now is as good a time as any to review some basic pool safety tips to minimize the risk of accidents. Here are some recommendations from the American Red Cross:
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An adult should always be within arm’s length of a young child. Often, this means the watcher should be in the water with very young children.
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If a child is missing, check the water first. Don’t assume the child has gotten out of the pool. By checking the water first, you increase the chances of successfully rescuing the child.
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If possible, have more than one person watch the children when they are in the pool. This way, if one adult needs to step away for a few minutes, there is at least one person still there.
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Teach children how to swim and what they should do in an emergency. If children can’t swim, they need a life vest even in shallow water.
Adults also need some safety tips:
- Never swim after drinking alcohol or doing drugs. Your abilities will be impaired.
- Don’t dive headfirst into a pool unless you know how deep it is first. Get in the pool first and check, if necessary.
- Elderly swimmers need to be watched as closely as children.
- The elderly also should not watch children, since they cannot rescue them fast enough.
As always, remember to install adequate barriers that prevent unauthorized access to the pool. According to the Red Cross, an isolation fence with four sides can reduce a child’s risk of drowning by over 80%. If your pool is above ground, you should remove steps and lock them up when the pool is not in use.
Contact Us Today
Pool accidents will continue to occur, and if you or your child has been injured, you might have a legal claim. At Bundza & Rodriguez, our Daytona Beach personal injury attorneys have helped families when a child drowns in a person’s pool if the owner did not use adequate safety procedures.
Speak to us today by calling 386-252-5170. You can schedule a free case evaluation.
Resource:
abc-7.com/story/40884054/florida-dad-tells-police-he-briefly-looked-away-before-his-son-drowned
https://www.daytonalawyers.com/are-trampoline-parks-dangerous/