Who is at Risk?

• Children face the highest risk of drowning and drain entanglement.children in pool image by Marzanna Syncerz from Fotolia.com
  
  Anyone has the potential to fall victim to pool-related accidents; however, PoolSafety.gov reports that children in the five to nine years old category are most susceptible to drain entrapment. According to the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act Section 1402, drowning is the second leading cause of death in the United States for children ages one to 14, and 761 children ages 14 and under died as a result of unintentional drowning in 2004.
  
  

Supervision

• Children should not be left unattended in the pool.Swimming pool and pool house image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
  
  The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act Section 1402 also states that "Adult supervision at all aquatic venues is a critical safety factor in preventing children from drowning." Supervision needs to be consistent in order to be effective. Dangers in the pool easily occur in a matter of seconds, and if parents take a quick break to answer a phone, chat with a friend or use the restroom, they might return to a major problem.
  
  

Construction Features

• Fences and alarms provide additional safety.swimming pool image by apeschi from Fotolia.com
  
  If the pool is located at home, adults have more personal options for installing precautionary measures. A four-sided barrier around the pool aids in keeping children out. If the fourth wall is the house, alarms on doors leading to the pool alert parents if their children venture outside of them. Perimeter and in-water alarms as well as safety covers provide even more protection against harm.
  
  

Drain Entrapment Prevention

• Systems need to be checked frequently.pool image by tofuwarrior from Fotolia.com
  
  If a small child sits on a drain that is improperly functioning by having too much suction, he can be disemboweled, meaning the intestines are sucked out of the body. A serious issue, disembowelment must be treated my a medical professional immediately. Prevention of such issues by checking the drainage system everytime before entering a pool is the best way to avoid problems. Another result of body/hair entrapment is drowning, which has its own set of first aid measures.
  
  

First Aid for Drowning

• Following safety measures may save a drowning victim.Help Drowning 24 image by chrisharvey from Fotolia.com
  
  The victim must be reached, whether by a pole, rope or life preserver. Only a strong and capable swimmer should attempt to physically go to the person. The rescuer must support the person's head and neck as she is brought out of the water, and if possible, CPR should be performed. Cold and wet clothes should be removed from the victim, and a blanket wrapped around the body. The victim must be kept as immobile as possible, and any vomit must be wiped away from the mouth in order to prevent choking.