How Guardian Angel Inspections Is Spreading Awareness About Pool Safety

You can’t reverse a tragedy. However, you can learn from it, understand why it happened, and do everything in your power to make sure it doesn’t happen to someone else.

Here at Guardian Angel Inspections, we strive to provide the highest-quality service, but that’s just a small part of what we do. 

Our primary mission is to ensure the safety of your home, at all costs. We had our brush with unfortunate events in the past and had to deal with the death of a loved one, so we made it our goal to give back to the community and help others prevent such a scenario. 

Recently, as part of our pool inspection, we decided to give away a free pool fence each quarter to a family that needs one. Granted, this is a small gesture in the grand scheme of things, yet, it is our way of supporting the Central Florida community, spreading awareness about pool safety, and most importantly, doing our part in helping save lives.

Importance of pool safety

According to data and statistical modeling, for every 10,000 residential pools in a given county, it’s expected that 2.4 pool deaths may occur every three years. Because of the depth of data, the relation is linearly correlated, which is why it’s necessary to focus on drowning prevention in counties with a high number of pools - especially for the sake of small children. 

Sadly, the numbers are harrowing and in our experience, pool safety is often ignored, we believe, primarily due to normalcy bias. This is a natural human tendency in which as a species, we underestimate the likelihood of a negative event occurring, thus preventing us from having awareness of the possibility of a serious crisis or tragic event. 

In reality, Florida has the highest rates of drowning for children between the ages of one to four. You may believe this is due to natural bodies of water (which are abundant in the Sunshine State), but residential swimming pools are the leading cause of these, in most cases, preventable deaths. 

Data reveals that out of 245 accidental deaths of individuals aged five and above, 55% (136) occurred in a residential, single-family swimming pool. Whereas, only 10% (25) drowned in a public swimming pool, 8% (21) in a hotel or motel pool, and 7% (19) at a pool at a condominium. 

Similar numbers are also present in young children between the ages of one to four. Out of 205 accidental deaths, 58% (120) of children drowned in a residential swimming pool, while a notably smaller number, about 9% (19), drowned in natural bodies of water.

Keep in mind that this data (the only comprehensive set of numbers available) is a decade old, so one would think that we have learned about the dangers of drowning since. That is not the case as the latest information suggests otherwise and the number of residential swimming pool deaths just keeps rising.

Where we are right now

According to recent statistics released by Florida state agencies, 44 children have already died due to drowning in 2023, which is a significant rise when compared to deaths in 2022. This is quite alarming, and if the past data holds true, upwards of 100 children could tragically lose their lives by the end of the year. 

Furthermore, similar to the stats provided above, most deaths occur in residential single-family swimming pools. 

Shockingly, these tragedies also often happen during swimming times, and in some instances, while the parents are still there. 

Although it’s hard to write about these tragic events and present them as sheer statistics, it’s the only way to truly gain an understanding of the true scope of the dangers that residential swimming pools represent. 

How to prevent a tragedy

We can only talk about prevention, and in many cases, avoiding a tragedy and saving a life is fairly easy. Here are a few proven methods to protect your children and ensure their safety when they’re near a swimming pool.

Adult supervision
Just one moment of inattention could tragically lead to a lifetime of regrets. Hence, the most basic thing you can do to keep your children safe is to actively watch them when they are inside or even near a swimming pool. 

For example, backyard pool parties are very common in all of Florida, and to keep their community safe, The Fire Department in Seminole County provides wearable laminates that signify an adult that’s designated as a supervisor in these events. You can implement a similar thing in your household.

Pool barriers
The only way to avoid a tragedy is to prevent a child from entering the pool area without adult supervision. Since pool fences physically prevent children from reaching the water, they are very effective in this regard and can eliminate the chance of death outside of a designated swimming time and keep the pool area off-limits. 

Swimming classes
Several deaths happen while parents are present, which is why it’s necessary not only to educate them on the dangers of drowning but also to teach the children how to swim. Contrary to popular belief, you can begin with swimming lessons as early as 8 months. Chances are, there are already various options for affordable swimming lessons in your local community (community pools, local YMCA, etc.).

We also suggest taking a CPR class, as it can ultimately make a difference between life and death.

How Guardian Angel Inspections gives back to the community

We may never be able to prevent all these tragedies, but, each time we educate a family on the importance of swimming pool safety, we give back to the community that has given us so much support over the years. 

During our pool inspection, we don’t only look at the condition of the pool - we take great care in revealing any potential safety issues that may be present, including checking the operation of safety barriers, gates, and electrical wires. 

In addition, scheduling an inspection qualifies you for a pool fence giveaway, where we’ll donate a pool fence to a family that truly needs it. 

Each life we save is worth it in our book - and you can too make the difference by joining us on our mission.

Learn more about what Guardian Angel Inspections offer by filling out our contact form or calling 561-512-7854.