What parents should know when taking their children to public pools

What parents should know when taking their children to public pools

(Steve Landeen, KSL TV, File)


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AMERICAN FORK — During the summer, children often flock to local public pools to cool down.

Most public outdoor pools in Utah opened Memorial Day weekend — the unofficial start of summer. But as children flock to these pools, experts and lifeguards agree there should be a combined and conscious effort from pool staff, patrons and parents to ensure safety.

"We want kids to have a great time at the pool, but we also understand the importance of wanting them to go home safe and alive," said Joey Byington, aquatics manager at American Fork Fitness Center. "It takes vigilance, for sure, on everybody's part — the lifeguard's part and the parents'. They should be working together, so they're the key line of defense between the swimmer and potentially drowning."

A 2014 report from the Utah Department of Health noted that drowning was the third-leading cause of injury-related death for Utah children ages 1-14. For toddlers and infants, this often happened after they wandered off or were left unattended around a body of water.

Knowing the signs of drowning is paramount in possibly saving a life. Hyperventilation is one of the most overlooked signs when it comes to spotting a swimmer who could end up in trouble, Byington said. Swimmers who hyperventilate face the risk of blacking out. Some inexperienced swimmers may panic and hyperventilate. Livestrong recommends that newer or nervous swimmers practice often and learn to relax in the water.

Other swimmers may hyperventilate before going underwater in an effort to help them hold their breath longer. Water safety experts discourage this practice. (For a deeper dive on the dangers of hyperventilation, see this analysis by the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.)

Along with hyperventilation, the Utah Department of Health offered other potential signs of drowning. These include a swimmer:

  • Whose head is low in the water, or whose mouth is at water level
  • Whose head is tilted back with their mouth open
  • With eyes that are glassy and empty-looking, or unable to focus
  • Who is vertical in the water/not using their legs
  • Who appears to be trying to climb an invisible ladder or trying to roll over on their back
  • Who is trying to swim but not making any headway Byington added that sometimes children will play games that involve them holding their breath underwater for an extended amount of time. Some children will pass out during these games, and when the body then instinctively tries to breathe, it sucks in water instead of air. "And that's when the drowning process begins," he said.

Any games like these should be considered red flags, he added.

Many parents head to public pools and leave it up to an on-staff lifeguard to supervise, Byington said. However, there are several things that can make a lifeguard’s job difficult, which those visiting pools should understand.

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The monotony of scanning the same pool over and over for hours can cause problems with a lifeguard's focus and can cause fatigue, Byington said. The glare on pools can also create problems, especially with outdoor pools on sunny days and during some sunsets.

Another difficulty lifeguards deal with, Byington adds, comes from blind spots created by water toys or structures.

“There are so many types of aquatic attractions nowadays, from play structures that are actually in the water to various slides that extend out,” he said. “The days of having a square pool like you would see in the ‘60s and ‘70s — those days are long gone. The aquatic attractions throughout Salt Lake and Utah County have a lot of state-of-the-art slides with play structures that just present a tremendous problem with blind spots for lifeguards. Kids can slip under the water without being able to get (sic) seen.”

A crowded pool also makes it difficult for a lifeguard to pay attention to each person swimming in the particular zone of the pool they're guarding.


"We want kids to have a great time at the pool, but we also understand the importance of wanting them to go home safe and alive. It takes vigilance, for sure, on everybody's part." — Joey Byington, aquatics manager at American Fork Fitness Center

That's where the importance of teamwork between lifeguards and parents comes in. Unfortunately, Byington said, there has been a recent trend of parents who are distracted by scrolling through their phone while their child is in the water.

“It’s key for parents to be there and to be watching their kids and to be sure they’re vigilant and understanding where their kids are in the pool, the depths of the pool and that they’re following the rules of the pool,” he said. “Drowning can happen so fast. Kids (become submerged) within a matter of 15 to 30 seconds and that’s not a lot of time.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention suggests parents, lifeguards or any supervisors should avoid any distractions while a child is in the water. The CDC also recommends teaching children to learn how to swim and be comfortable with the water at an early age. Those who do not know how to swim should wear a life jacket, according to the CDC.

Ben Hill, director of the Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation Service Area, notes that lifeguards provide a service by helping prevent drownings, but even that may not be enough as patrons begin to pack town pools throughout Utah this summer.

“It takes a whole team of everyone there to be diligent on keeping everyone safe,” he said. “Lifeguards are trained to react to certain things, but even if a lifeguard is doing everything perfectly, tragedy can still strike.”

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