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bogarde73

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Kids drowning
Jan 18^th, 2016 at 12:36pm

I was thinking about this the other day, probably when I'd seen another one of those inevitable backyard pool stories, and something occurred to me about why maybe it happens so often.

I didn't have anything much to do with swimming, not as far as I can remember, until my family came to live near Sydney's Middle Harbour when I was about 7.
I couldn't swim, but as soon as I tied in with 2 or 3 other kids in my street I went with them to a harbour pool about a mile away I suppose. That's where I learned to swim, just jumping in the water.
BUT, you didn't jump in over your head, you gradually moved out from where you could stand on the sandy bottom. So that's it, no supervision, just into the water and don't get out of your depth till you can handle it.

Nowadays, backyard pools are typically from a metre deep graduating to two metres deep. Well mine is and it's not atypical.
As soon as a little kid gets in the pool he's out of his depth. So if he gets in there when nobody's around, what's going to happen.

It's different from back then when kids learnt to swim at a safe beach or a harbour pool where they could muck about in the shallows. Of course most of them have swimming lessons for years, but in the early years they are still vulnerable if they get out of their depth.

And as an afterthought, I don't remember a lot of news about kids drowning back then. Of course they did, but it may have been in a river or in the surf. Or maybe there wasn't the 24/7 news and those stories didn't make it.

I can't help thinking though that the design of backyard pools has something to do with it.

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cods

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Re: Kids drowning
Reply #1 - Jan 18^th, 2016 at 12:44pm

its mainly the fencing and the parents.. sorry boges but the parents are responsible for the fence...and gates and no child should be left alone outside by anyone...its hard I grant you.. but if your no prepared to sit and watch them all the time fill the pool in...

I have never had the need for a pool..but if I did the fence would have an alarm on it..the whole thing would set an alarm off..I couldnt stand the worry of it to be honest to drag a child out of the water must be horrific...because it is so preventable....I mean would you take your eyes off your child near the road?... what about if you are on a train platform?....

I mean you wouldnt would you???..

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John Smith

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Re: Kids drowning
Reply #2 - Jan 18^th, 2016 at 12:52pm

i think Boges may have a point. Fences help, but kids are inventive little buggers. I once found my 3 yr old sitting on top of my boundary fence, which is 5ft high. Given that my fence sits on top of a 1.5m high retaining wall, he had quite a drop on the other side. He drags furniture alongside the fence and uses it to help him reach the top.

I don't think we will ever stop all drownings. Peoples backyard space is limited. To start a pool at a level that kids can wade into one will need a large yard and much bigger pools, unless you put a large drop in the pool, which kinda defeats the purpose.

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Sprintcyclist

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Re: Kids drowning
Reply #3 - Jan 18^th, 2016 at 1:11pm

John Smith wrote on Jan 18^th, 2016 at 12:52pm:

i think Boges may have a point. Fences help, but kids are inventive little buggers. I once found my 3 yr old sitting on top of my boundary fence, which is 5ft high. Given that my fence sits on top of a 1.5m high retaining wall, he had quite a drop on the other side. He drags furniture alongside the fence and uses it to help him reach the top.

I don't think we will ever stop all drownings. Peoples backyard space is limited. To start a pool at a level that kids can wade into one will need a large yard and much bigger pools, unless you put a large drop in the pool, which kinda defeats the purpose.

Quote:

..........kids are inventive little buggers. I once found my 3 yr old sitting on top of my boundary fence, which is 5ft high.......

yes, and they are fast.
At a previous house the neighbour had a pool with fences and kids.
I saw the kids run up to the fence and clamber over it with not much of a hesitation.

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greggerypeccary

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Re: Kids drowning
Reply #4 - Jan 18^th, 2016 at 1:30pm

John Smith wrote on Jan 18^th, 2016 at 12:52pm:

I don't think we will ever stop all drownings. Peoples backyard space is limited. To start a pool at a level that kids can wade into one will need a large yard and much bigger pools, unless you put a large drop in the pool, which kinda defeats the purpose.

Kids can drown in just a few centimetres of water.

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John Smith

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Re: Kids drowning
Reply #5 - Jan 18^th, 2016 at 1:32pm

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 18^th, 2016 at 1:30pm:

John Smith wrote on Jan 18^th, 2016 at 12:52pm:

I don't think we will ever stop all drownings. Peoples backyard space is limited. To start a pool at a level that kids can wade into one will need a large yard and much bigger pools, unless you put a large drop in the pool, which kinda defeats the purpose.

Kids can drown in just a few centimetres of water.

I know, but they are less likely too if the water is only a few centimeters.

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greggerypeccary

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Re: Kids drowning
Reply #6 - Jan 18^th, 2016 at 1:34pm

John Smith wrote on Jan 18^th, 2016 at 1:32pm:

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 18^th, 2016 at 1:30pm:

John Smith wrote on Jan 18^th, 2016 at 12:52pm:

I don't think we will ever stop all drownings. Peoples backyard space is limited. To start a pool at a level that kids can wade into one will need a large yard and much bigger pools, unless you put a large drop in the pool, which kinda defeats the purpose.

Kids can drown in just a few centimetres of water.

I know, but they are less likely too if the water is only a few centimeters.

Less likely? For sure.

It still happens, though.

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