Chilling warning on backyard pool safety as compliance across the Hills Shire falls way short

ROYAL Life Saving Australia is sending a chilling warning to families about the importance of backyard pool safety after 90 per cent of pools across the Hills inspected by the council were found to be non-compliant.

Royal Life Saving Australia are calling on families to check their backyard pool before the summer months.

ROYAL Life Saving Australia is sending a chilling warning to families about the importance of backyard pool safety after 90 per cent of pools across the Hills inspected by the council were found to be non-compliant.

Chief executive Justin Scarr is determined to see the Royal Life Saving’s home pool safety checklist become the most wanted pool accessory this summer after shocking statistics reveal the number of pool-related deaths continued to plague communities.

Mr Scarr said inadequate or faulty fencing was placing children at risk in their own backyard and urged parents to get outside and check their pool for safety hazards.

There were 21 drowning deaths of children under the age of five from the 12 months to June 2016 and 11 of these deaths occurred in backyard pools.

Royal Life Saving Australia are calling on families to check their backyard pool before the summer months.

“We also know that for every one child that dies, at least 10 are hospitalised and will suffer from lifelong medical problems,” he said.

“These statistics have been reducing over the last three decades, but drowning deaths are still a devastating scenario that is seen way too often in the family backyard.”

Mr Scarr said the 2017 Nation Drowning Report, to be released this month, would reveal that though backyard drownings happened all year, there were spikes in summer.

“The most common times for backyard drowning deaths are long weekends and Sunday afternoons,” he said. “Another peak period is school holidays.”

He advised people to become familiar with the home pool safety checklist to ensure fences, gate and latches were in working order.

A Hills Shire Council spokeswoman said there were 19,426 swimming pools registered in the Hills local government area.

Royal Life Saving Australia are calling on familes to download the checklist.

“In the last financial year, council inspected 2063 swimming pools,” the spokeswoman said.

“There were 603 Swimming Pool Compliance Certificates lodged with council and all pools were inspected by council’s compliance officers within 10 days.

“During this time, two penalty notices were issued for breaches of the Swimming Pools Act and 90 per cent of pools were found to be non-compliant by council officers.”