2-year-old boy drowns in backyard swimming pool in Hollywood - Sun-Sentinel.com - InspectionNews

Brian Hannigan · #1 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 12:01 AM

InspectionNews has found this information related to pools and spas that might be of interest to you.

2-year-old boy drowns in backyard swimming pool in Hollywood
Sun-Sentinel.com, FL - 4 hours ago
Broward Sheriff's Fire-Rescue is offering free pool-safety inspections and CPR classes focusing on saving children and infants. For information on dates and ...

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Ted Menelly · #2 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 08:58 AM

That is to sad to comment on. I am sure everyone feels the same.

I wrote up a six foot stockade fence that was installed with the rails on the back side of the fence of a million dollar home stating that little kids could climb over it (or adults for that matter).

The builders responce as well as the home buyers of this new home was "it looked better that way". The builder siad "I know but how can you argue with someone spending a million dollars on a home when they want it that way, they don't want to look at the rails".

Too sad, just too sad.

Ted

Jerry Peck · #3 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 09:44 AM

(bold is mine)

"This is the eighth reported child drowning this year in Broward County. From 2004 to 2007, the county had 31 drowning deaths of children 5 and under, according to the Broward County Health Department."

At this rate, Broward County (where I lived for 20 years before moving up here) will hit 16 this year, that's half the TOTAL for the previous *3 years COMBINED*.

Yet, people STILL do not want proper child fences and/or alarms for their pools ... because *they look ugly* or are *too noisy*.

Yeah, .. okay, ... but, hey ... THEY SAVE LIVES when installed and used!

Jim Luttrall · #4 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 10:26 AM

Quote:

The builders responce as well as the home buyers of this new home was "it looked better that way". The builder siad "I know but how can you argue with someone spending a million dollars on a home when they want it that way, they don't want to look at the rails".

Tell them they can just put verticle wood on both sides, problems solved.

Ted Menelly · #5 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 10:38 AM

I did say that and his response was "do you realise there is almost 400 feet of fence here". That was the end of my discussion. I put my findings in the report, handed the client the report, collected my money and left with a clean conscience (but was it so clean). I guess my conscience is clean. I did my job well.

Ted

Jerry Peck · #6 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ted Menelly

The builders responce as well as the home buyers of this new home was "it looked better that way". The builder siad "I know but how can you argue with someone spending a million dollars on a home when they want it that way, they don't want to look at the rails".

With that much money and that little sense, let them pay for a "double sided fence", i.e., the rails sandwiched between to stockade fences back-to-back.

That way they can have their purty little fence, and they can also meet code on the other side of it.

Hey, it's just money, right?

Rick Hurst · #7 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 01:59 PM

Always ask the builder in that type of situation, "Whats the value of a child now?"

If you can ask him in front of your client.

rick

Eric Van De Ven · #8 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

(bold is mine)

"This is the eighth reported child drowning this year in Broward County. From 2004 to 2007, the county had 31 drowning deaths of children 5 and under, according to the Broward County Health Department."

At this rate, Broward County (where I lived for 20 years before moving up here) will hit 16 this year, that's half the TOTAL for the previous *3 years COMBINED*.

Yet, people STILL do not want proper child fences and/or alarms for their pools ... because *they look ugly* or are *too noisy*.

Yeah, .. okay, ... but, hey ... THEY SAVE LIVES when installed and used!

Police said several adults were at the one-story home in the 1800 block of Scott Street when the toddler fell into the pool. He was in the pool for about five minutes before someone saw him and called 911, Steele said.
"Nobody saw the child fall into the pool," Marino said.

A question I have is if no one saw the child fall into the pool, how do they know he was in the pool for about five minutes?

I would be curious to see if any fences or alarms were installed. I have always said that if someone is in my pool, I am in my pool.
I also wonder why the kid, at two years old, doesn't know how to swim.

At two months, little Marshall is on his way:

Jim Luttrall · #9 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 03:19 PM

Good thought.

I think Rick originally posted this here, but they have changed the presentation some.
http://www.infantswim.com/news-and-e...todayshow.html

Eric Van De Ven · #10 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 03:28 PM

Jim,
When the wife and I took our CPR certification course, I asked the instructor about the survival swimming. He told me that a majority of parents have their kids complete the course and then, never reinforce the course.

This provides the parents with a false sense of security and in some cases, may lead to these types of tragedies. The child must be retaught about once a month until he is around two years old where he can retain what he has learned.

Jim Luttrall · #11 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 03:38 PM

I have never had dealings with this particular method, but from their information they have documented a 100% survival ratio with 784 survival incidents from over 150,000 trained children. Makes sense to provide the tools just in case.
I know when my grandson was just an infant and we had a pool, we had both a total enclosure non-climbable fence, and a water motion sensor, and he was never out of our sight. He could also swim like a fish since he was two years old... but there is always the chance. I am a belt and suspenders kind of guy when it comes to safety, especially kids safety.

Ted Menelly · #12 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 04:43 PM

I've raised 4 children around pools as they were growing up. I have almost drown twice in the ocean. I have great respect for puddles deeper than the soul my shoe. The builder and the clients were there when I talked repeatedy about proper gates, alarms, proper fencing, how to resolve such etc, and reasons for all. I talked myself out and stated all on the report. To top it all off the back neighbors front right side of his property butted to there back yard. He fought as hard as he could about the 6 foot fence being at his front side of the property and that is was not allowed by code enforcement.

Everyone just thinking about themselves and not about whom it may affect, it could very well be them.

Oh yeah "our kids are all grown". Just another responce.

Jerry McCarthy · #13 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 04:50 PM

I've had words with more than a few home inspectors who claim, "I don't do pools so I don't comment on pool safety."
Morons all as safety issues is without doubt the largest single most vital segment of what we are about !!!

Jerry Peck · #14 (**permalink**) 06-16-2008, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

I've had words with more than a few home inspectors who claim, "I don't do pools so I don't comment on pool safety."

As I have.

Quote:

Morons all ...

Yep.

The below part deserves repeating!

Quote:

... as safety issues is without doubt the largest single most vital segment of what we are about !!!