Let’s not underestimate importance of pool safety

Representation Pic

A 19-year-old man has died in a swimming pool at a sports complex in Panvel. According to reports, the teenager waded into the deeper end of the pool and was in trouble soon. Lifeguards went in to save him and took him to a medical facility but it was too late.

This throws the spotlight on swimming in pools. There is a belief that nothing will happen in a swimming pool, one can hold on to the wall or edge of the pool and be safe. However that is not true. If you cannot swim, you should not be in a water body, no matter what people tell you.

Those learning swimming with a coach must have a flotation device and be supervised. If you are a swimmer, then you should be able to swim in the shallow or deep end of a pool. If not, do not venture inside even if persuaded by friends, etc.

While the deeper waters definitely are dangerous, you may not know at what spot or juncture the pool floor level drops and becomes deep, so wallowing in the shallows may seem safe. Suddenly though you could be out of your depth.

Today, so many building complexes have pools and we have seen drownings, mainly of small children who have fallen into the pool. While both are different instances, it shows that being a swimmer is necessary before entering a pool. All complexes and pools must have at least one and that is the very least, one lifeguard on duty at swimming times.

When the pool is closed for a certain time, there has to be a staffer or personnel keeping an eye out that somebody does not enter the pool during that time. Let us change the narrative this year, too many deaths have occurred due to drownings. Caution, good sense, logic, supervision and an understanding about how water can simply take you away in a trice, will result in a decline in tragedy.