I dont think we need to ban backyard pools.
Sadly children die from Dog attacks each year also but I dont think we need to ban people from having dogs.
Bigger fines and more random checks to make sure that properties are pool safe.

No, I don’t think the answer is to ban backyard pools. Each incident needs to be looked at separately. You can’t just create a blanket ban. What about families where there are only adults living there who enjoy their backyard pool – their little oasis. Why should they not be allowed to have a backyard pool. These are all tragic circumstances, when any life is lost it’s tragic, but you need to look at supervision, parenting, surroundings, etc. As a previous pool owner, we had a neighbour’s child who would drag something over to the dog kennel to look over our fence and into our pool. It frightened me every time I saw her do it. We met all legal requirements in terms of fencing, etc. I always felt sick and worried that I would wake up in the morning and she’d be floating in my pool. She didn’t and we no longer live there. We met ALL legal and building requirements for our pool.

No I don’t think we need a ban but people need to be much more vigilant in regards to water safety and protecting our kids.

How tragic !
I don’t think we need to ban backyard pools.
But learning to swim, safe fencing/ gates and continuous adult supervision are just so important !

This is so sad & I feel for the parents & families, I cant imagine what they are going through. Just recently I read that if a pool is able to hold 30 cm of water it needs to be fenced & this included blow up pools. Our country is an island & with so many beaches & home pools I firmly believe that learning to swim is part of a child’s education. Signage on the inside of pool fences showing CPR instructions if a great idea. Maybe yearly certified checking of pool fences & gates should be mandatory?

More children die in road accidents Shall we ban cars?

I too have been involved in the aquatic industry for the past 16 years. Banning backyard pools is not the answer. Thorough education is the answer — maybe introduce a full compulsory course be undertaken by all backyard pool owners which could including fence maintenance and daily must do fence checks which would need to be logged so the evidence is available to the appropriate authority should they be requested to produce them on inspection. These authority could be similar to work safe that are able to come an inspect at anytime (within reason). The courses would also provide CPR training and present the pool owners with knowledge on being a responsible pool owner. They would need to be updated on a regular basis and also be required to be done by any person planning on renting a property with a pool.
Daily pool test are required to ensure all your chemical levels are as they should be, therefore daily fence checks should be part of those checks as well.

In SA most pools have to be fenced with regulation materials and have special locks on the gates. Kiddy pools should be emptied when not in use. It doesn’t take long to empty them. Some are small and light enough that you can tip them over enough to drain them. If the water goes on your lawn it won’t be wasted if it keeps the lawn green and moist.

Firstly, my thoughts are with the families of those whom have lost their children through drowning.

Now for the serious stuff. The most important things that need to be addressed are: kids learning to swim, supervision, knowing CPR, pool gates being checked regularly.

Kids should be taken to swimming lessons by their parents, every week all year round. This should be made compulsory if they have a backyard pool. Always have floatation on your child, ie floaties and back bubble if they cannot swim. Supervision should be done from Inside the pool gate, not from outside the pool area, time saves lives. Knowing CPR – as part of a pool requirement is not just have a sign up but make it compulsory that all family members do a certified CPR course every 12 months and it has to be registered that they are completed with a governing body. Pool safety. There should be a checklist that is completed by the family once a week and submitted to a governing body. Also hang the floaties and back bubble on the outside of the pool gate and make it the first rule that the child does not enter the pool area without them on, even for a minute.

The comment I keep reading that it is up to our schools to have our kids taught to swim, how old have the children been recently theat have drowned, yes not school age.

Parents, they are your kids and your responsibility to have them taught to swim so make it a priority from 4 mths old to join a parent baby class and continue them until they are competently swimming a 1hr squad class.

Having been a swimming teacher for the past 11yrs, nothing frustrates me more than this topic of kids drowning and the blame being put on everyone else but the parents. Yes accidents do happen, but they can certainly be prevented. It only takes enough water to cover your mouth and nose to drown in, not always a swimming pool.

Stay safe this summer whilst having fun.

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  • • mom144300 replied
    • 12 Dec 2016 , 10:39 pm

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  I agree 1,000%.

Children must be educated to follow the rules surrounding pools. If you do have a pool, then supervision is a must. My children grew up with a pool and they weren’t allowed into the pool area unless an adult was with them until they were in their teens.

I think that if you decide to have a backyard swimming pool, you must also be aware of all the risks involved. You will have to take all the precautions and be vigilant all the time. If you are not willing to do that, maybe it’s better not to build a swimming pool.

My family grew up with a backyard pool and we always had very strict rules about the pool and stuff around the pool and i remember my dad making sure our fences were appropiate. There should be much stricter laws regarding pools and education programs in school. Maybe one day if they made everyone intending to own or live in a place with a pool do a pool safety education course then maybe lives woule be saved. RIP beautiful babies.

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  • • mom144300 replied
    • 12 Dec 2016 , 10:44 pm

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  A few weeks of swimming lessons a couple of times a year are not worth it. Lets presume at best that they have lessons (through school) in the beginning of the year & the end of the year. With the gap between these times most kids have to relearn what they learned before because simply they are kids & forget. Kids need to have swimming lessons weekly from school (or just before)

As long as you educate children and have supervision while they are swimming.Most importantly you have the barriers which are chld proof.