Fremont Insurance Reminds Homeowners To Stay Safe Around the Pool

FREMONT, Mich., June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Summer has finally arrived in Michigan and as the weather heats up, many people will head to their backyard pools to soak up some sun and stay cool.  A new report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) should serve as a stark reminder about the importance of being safe in and around the pool, particularly for young children.  According to the CPSC, children younger than age 5 represent more than 75 percent of all pool and spa submersion deaths and 78 percent of pool and spa submersion injuries in the United States involve children younger than 15 years of age.  Fremont Insurance offers summer fun seekers a few tips to stay safe in and around the water.

The CPSC Pool or Spa Submersions: Estimate Injuries and Reported Fatalities 2013 Report shows that an average of 390 pool or spa-related drownings for children younger than 15 with 76 percent (296) of the victims being younger than 5 occur each year.  More than 5,100 pool or spa-related emergency department-treated submersion injuries for children younger than 15 with 78 percent (4,000) of the injured being younger than 5.

Portable pools in particular can be especially dangerous because they are often viewed as being less dangerous then their more permanent, installed counterparts.  Portable pools come in many different shapes and sizes including everything from small, inflatable kiddie pools to much larger designs that can hold thousands of gallons of water.  And while they can be a fun and inexpensive addition to the backyard, they can also be deadly if not properly taken care of.  According the CPSC submersion fatalities associated with portable pools averaged 35 deaths each year for children 4 and under from 2005 to 2008.

"With the wide availability of relatively inexpensive, pop-up style pools, drownings are occurring at an alarming rate," said Kurt Dettmer Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Fremont Insurance.  "In fact, drowning is now the leading cause of unintentional death for children between the ages of 1 and 4. We want to encourage homeowners to protect themselves and their families and neighbors by following a few basic safety tips that can end up saving countless lives."

Safety tips for portable pools include:

• Always empty and put away smaller portable pools after every use
• Once the pool is set up for the summer, treat it just like you would with any other pool and always maintain a high level of supervision.
• Fences save lives. If you have a pool that remains filled all summer long, make sure that it is enclosed at all times and encourage your neighbors to do the same.
• Cover larger portable pools and put access ladders away when the pool is not being supervised by an adult to restrict access
• Install door alarms that will alert you when someone has entered the pool area.
• Teach children to swim, float and other basic life-saving skills; however don't use this as an excuse to provide less supervision, drowning can still occur regardless of how skilled of a swimmer your child may seem to be.
• Make sure your neighbors, babysitters and visitors know about the pool's presence in your yard.
• Learn and practice CPR so you can help in an emergency.

About Fremont Insurance

Fremont Insurance, an affiliate of the Auto Club Group (ACG) provides service to the Independent Agents of Michigan. The company has been a Michigan-exclusive company since 1876 and is a Pure Michigan partner.  Dynamic Products, Exceptional Service, and Competitive Pricing have made Fremont Insurance one of the fastest growing and most respected companies operating in Michigan. For more information about Fremont Insurance you can visit the company online at www.fmic.com, find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FremontInsuranceCo, or follow them on twitter at www.twitter.com/FremontIns.

SOURCE Fremont Insurance