Pool Safety

Craig Cannon

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A young boy drowned in his neighbor's pool because the neighbor did not have a child proof barrier around their pool. The child wandered into the neighbor's yard and fell into the pool. The boy was discovered some time later by his mother who began to perform resuscitation on him until rescue personal could arrive on the scene. Although the rescue personnel tried to save him he was pronounced dead at the hospital. This tragedy could have been avoided if the neighbor had complied with the Florida Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act.

The Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act, Florida Statutes Sections 515.23, 515.25. 515.27, 515.29, dictates that any private swimming pool built after Janaury 1, 2002 is required to have certain sfaety features to prevent young children from drowning. One safety feature required by the law is a 4' high child safety barrier to be in place around the perimeter of the pool. The pool involved in this case did not have that safety barrier in place at the time of the drowning. Had the pool owner placed the child safety barrier around the pool this tragic incident would probably not have occurred.