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Thunderstorm Coming? Get Out of the Pool!

July 29th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Saw this story today in the Arizona Republic and thought the information might bear repeating for some folk who for whatever reason may be unaware. If there’s a thunderstorm anywhere in the vicinity of your pool, get out of the water ASAP.  Seems a guy wrote in to the paper about a disagreement he had with his wife over the safety of pools when a storm threatened. The advice given is right on target.

It’s not just that lightning is attracted to water, and that water is a fairly good conductor of electricity. It’s the fact that you are out in the open just like you were on a golf course or standing out in your yard.

And your [inground] pool is reinforced with metal rods under the concrete, and they could attract lightning, too.

Even if the bolt did not make a direct hit on your pool, a strike nearby could travel along the ground to nail you.

Your wife also is correct in urging you to leave the water at the first signs of the storm. Lightning can strike from as far as 10 miles away. So even if the storm looks like it’s a long way off, you need to get out of the pool.

So take heed and stay safe. Get out of the pool as soon as you see the storm coming.

Wife Is Right About Swimming During A Storm; Arizona Republic (azcentral.com)

“Dry Drowning” Another Reason To Monitor Children’s Safety in Swimming Pools

June 7th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

The beginning of swim season seems tragically marked each year by a rise in child injuries or deaths in pools.  Kids always rush to the water when the swimming pools open and school’s out. We as parents and adults must be vigilant every summer in reminding our children that safety is always first, and monitoring their time in the pool. But this story from South Carolina (USA) shocked me because it’s such a little known danger - “dry drowning”.  A 10 year old boy went swimming in a public pool and at some point got water in his lungs. He walked home conversing with his mom and sister, took a bath and feeling tired, went to bed.  He died an hour later - drowned by the water he’d inhaled at the pool.  Apparently in some people, there can be a delayed reaction to inhaling water; as much as 24 hours.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), some 3,600 people drowned in 2005, the most recent year for which there are statistics. Some 10 to 15 percent of those deaths w[ere] classified as “dry drowning,” which can occur up to 24 hours after a small amount of water gets into the lungs.

According to the story, three important signs of dry drowning are difficulty breathing, extreme tiredness and changes in behavior. People affected may not exhibit them all; in this case, the boy did not have trouble breathing at first, he was walking and speaking.  In children the signs may be so subtle that unless you know what to look for they will be completely missed. I know I would have had no clue.  Now when my small nephews visit me next, I will be more aware of their behavior during and after swimming. Hey, this could even happen to adults, too. I hope this story helps all to recognize and prevent dry drowning; it could mean the difference between life and death.  For more information on drowning statistics and prevention methods, visit the CDC’s safety website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/drown.htm.
Boy’s death highlights a hidden danger: Dry drowning - MSNBC.com

Boy dies after swallowing swimming pool water - AP 

GA Swimming Pools Might Open This Summer Despite Drought

February 8th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

If you follow this blog you may know that I live and own a swimming pool in Northern Georgia, USA.  And if you read the news you’ll likely know that we’ve been suffering through the worst drought ever in history.  There is currently a ban on all outdoor water usage, since late September, which includes filling public or private swimming pools or washing your pool filters.  Fortunately it’s winter and pools were mostly closed when the ban took effect.  However our severe drought continues and local pool owners, operators, builders and swim teams have been anxiously waiting to know if pool operations would be allowed this year.  This week Georgia’s governor stated he would relax the water ban to allow pool filling and maintenance.  However this edict can be overriden by local governments, who still must meet strict water usage requirements.

As a pool owner I am faintly relieved.  I say faintly because I’ll bet that my county government will continue to ban outdoor water use. But I fear the governor’s plan fails to address the real issue here; which is rampant overdevelopment and lack of a sensible water management plan.

Note that while allowing swimming pool operations, the governor also allows for “hand-watering” of lawns - no auto sprinklers - three times a week between midnight and 10 AM.  Say what?  Let the lawn fend for itself - most are overwatered anyway.  And what sane person is gonna hold a hosepipe and water the grass at 1 AM after a long day of work?  Come on, Governor!…  An unwatered lawn is not a health hazard - an ill-maintained swimming pool is.  The lawn bit was solely to appease the landscape industry which has been taking a beating with the lack of rain.  I am appalled (but not surprised) that no action was taken to place a moratorium on building permits for large scale developments or new swimming pools until their impacts on water use could be studied.

In anticipation that water rates will be raised substantially this summer to help enforce lower usage, I’m looking into buying rain barrels to help conserve.  In addition to swimming I like to garden, and this will supplement my recycling of gray water (water from bathing and dishwashing) for ornamental, non-edible plants.  I’ll also be doing some research into more environmentally-sensitive ways to manage the swimming pool.  I’ll write about what I learn.  I’d really like to see the swimming pool industry design and build more eco-friendly swimming pools that conserve water.  The swimming pool of itself is not the problem. How we build and manage that pool can go a long way to help save scarce water resources.

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