How Common Are Pool-Related Accidents?
Although pools and spas may not seem dangerous to adults, they can be incredibly dangerous for young children. When left unattended, kids playing outside may fall into the pool and injure themselves or, more tragically, drown. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, between 2019 and 2021, there was an average of 358 pool- or spa-related drownings reported per year, and 75% of the victims were younger than five years old. Additionally, there was an average of 6,500 pool- or spa-related nonfatal drownings that led to hospital emergency department treatment each year. If a close or immediate family member has died in a pool accident as a result of someone’s negligence, you need to hire a wrongful death attorney.
What is a Pool Alarm?
With the high level of risk involved in having a pool, pool owners have begun searching for ways to make sure pool-related injuries or drownings do not occur. One of the more recent methods pool owners are using to prevent pool-related accidents is a pool alarm.
Pool alarms are safety features designed to notify adults when someone or something has entered the pool. The pool alarm works by using sensors, which will alert adults if certain motions are detected in the pool area. The alerts provided by a pool alarm can help adults, especially ones with young children, act quickly to get their child out of the pool before injuries or accidental drownings occur. Pool alarms can come in many different forms, and it is important to research each type before purchasing one for home safety.
What are the types of Pool Alarms?
There are four common types of pool alarms to choose from: surface wave detection alarms, sub-surface detection alarms, threshold alarms, and wearable water detectors. Each type of pool alarm triggers at different times, but all of them are intended to prevent severe injuries or accidents in the pool.
Surface wave detection alarms float on the surface of pools and use sensors to detect disturbances in the water, including splashes, waves, and ripples. Surface wave detection alarms have a sensor with two contacts, one in the water and one above the water. When water in the pool is displaced and touches the above-water sensor, the alarm sounds. The sensitivity of the alarm can be adjusted by changing the height of the above-water contact. These alarms are easy to install and use; however, you may need to buy multiple alarms if you have a larger pool.
Sub-surface Detection alarms, also called pool immersion alarms, detect any disturbances in the pool water. These alarms are incredibly sensitive, and something as simple as dipping your legs into the shallow end of the pool can set the alarm off, which makes it one of the most reliable pool alarm options. Sub-surface detection alarms need a strong edge, deck, or railing to attach to for installation and tend to be more permanent than other pool alarms, such as an enclosure around your pool.
Threshold alarms are door and gate alarms that sound when someone has crossed a predetermined threshold. For pools, these alarms only work if you have a gate around your pool. Threshold alarms have a two-part sensor, one part attached to the frame of the pool gate and the other part attached to the door of the gate. When someone opens the gate, the two sensors separate, causing the alarm to go off.
Wearable water detectors, also called immersion wristband alarms, are designed to sound an alarm when someone wearing the wristband enters the pool. These wristbands work by transmitting a signal to a monitoring receiver placed near the pool. When the person wearing the wristband submerges their arm into the water, the water blocks the wristband from sending a signal to the monitor, causing the alarm to sound. Wearable water detectors are easy to use; however, if someone not wearing the wristband enters the pool, you will not receive an alert. Thus, this detector is not as reliable as other pool alarm options.
Are Pool Alarms Effective?
Pool alarms can be very effective at preventing injuries and accidents; however, they should never be relied upon as the only line of defense in preventing accidental drownings. A recent study by the Consumer Product Safety Commission tested three types of pool alarms and found that while underwater sensor alarms are more consistent than other types of pool alarms, they still send false alarms occasionally. The study also found that while wristband water detectors worked well, they can be impractical because the parent must remember to put the wristband on the child before they get in the pool. Additionally, wristband water detectors alarm when they are exposed to any water source, including tap water, so they have a tendency to false alarm.
Moreover, when you install a pool alarm, there are multiple things you need to test to make sure it works properly. First, you should check the sensitivity levels. A sensor that is too sensitive may send you false alarms, while a sensor that is not sensitive enough may not alert you in an emergency. Additionally, you should check the volume on your alarm. If the alarm volume is not loud enough, you may not hear it go off when there is an emergency. Finally, if your alarm has a battery, you need to make sure the battery is charged. If the battery is dead, you won’t be alerted when there is an emergency, which may lead to severe injury or drowning.
Pool Injuries and Accidents
Swimming pool accidents frequently lead to life-altering injuries and devastating losses. With a lack of safety precautions, poor maintenance, or insufficient supervision, it is easy for a child to fall into a pool without anyone noticing. If you or a loved one has experienced a swimming-related injury or, more tragically, a death, you need a swimming pool and drowning accident attorney on your side. At Simmons and Fletcher, P.C., our empathetic attorneys will listen to the details of your case and provide you with a clear legal course of action to receive compensation for your loss. Call us for a free consultation at 713-932-0777.
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