Near-drowning incident sheds light on importance of pool drains
- August 12, 2013
- Pool Safety and Health,
On Aug. 5, the 5-year-old son of Usher Raymond was involved in a near-drowning incident at the R&B singer’s Atlanta home. The boy, Usher Raymond V, was swimming underwater and attempted to retrieve a toy when his arm became stuck in a pool drain.
“I am blessed and fortunate to say that my son Usher V is doing well and is recovering,” Raymond said on Aug. 7.
According to CNN, the child’s aunt, as well as a housekeeper and another woman, were “unsuccessful in pulling the victim from the pool drain.” Two men – Eugene Stachurski and Ben Crews – who were at the home to install sound equipment, were ultimately able to remove the child from the drain.
Staying safe
This harrowing incident serves as an important reminder about how essential it is for pool owners to be vigilant about monitoring the activities in and around their pools, particularly those that may be missing a drain cover.
Pools that may have been created prior to the ANSI/APSP-7 Standard, which is a guideline specifically developed for helping consumers avoid suction entrapment and other related hazards in swimming pools and spas.
This was first referenced in 2009, and pools that were developed before then may carry a number of dangers. In addition, if your residential pool or spa is in an area of Phoenix or San Diego that doesn’t have these kinds of requirements, it may be that your drain could be a potential hazard.
Pools or spas that are missing a cover can be an entrapment risk, but by following a few important steps, you can better protect yourself and your friends and loved ones.
In addition to avoiding your pool or spa until a drain cover that may be broken or loose is repaired, you should never let children play around these areas, as they may potentially get hurt.
Reaching out to a San Diego pool service or Phoenix pool service and informing a professional that you don’t have a drain cover can be an effective way to resolve this issue and ensure that your pool is safe for individuals to use at all times!
