Drowning Safety Protection For Pools
What is Electric Shock Drowning?
Electric Shock Drowning occurs when AC current from lights, docks, or boats passes through the victim’s body with enough force to cause muscle paralysis while immersed in water, which could eventually result in drowning.
The victims are paralyzed by the shock so they cannot help themselves. ESD (Electric Shock Drowning) refers to all in-water shock fatalities and casualties.
Even though Electric Shock Drowning can happen in any place where electricity comes into contact with water, most Electric Shock Drowning fatalities occur in private and public docks and marinas.
Reasons Why Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) is a silent killer
- There’s no way or visible warning to tell if water is energized with dangerous levels of AC current.
- Most often, swimmers do not feel the current immediately upon entering the water, thus giving swimmers a false sense that it’s safe to enter the water. In many cases, electric current enters the surrounding water when electric faults occur aboard boats. Such faults are usually intermittent. Therefore, water can feel and appear safe and become energized with potentially fatal electricity in a split second.
- In the typical ESD scenario, the swimmer’s skeletal muscles become instantly paralyzed by the current. The victim is unable to help themselves and eventually drowns.
- If there are no witnesses nearby to report the incident, victims’ deaths are usually labeled as common drowning. Moreover, in most Electric Shock Drowning incidents, the autopsy does not show any signs that can be associated with electric injury. As a result, investigators never learn that the drowning was caused by an electric shock.
- Until recently, public awareness about the dangers of Electric Shock Drowning has been very little. Consequently, Electric Shock Drowning incidents continue to devastate new families on a yearly basis.
How can you Prevent Electric Shock Drowning?
Public awareness of the dangers of Electric Shock Drowning is the first step. According to experts, the following precautions can help prevent Electric Shock Drowning:
- Use a Shock Alert floating pool alarm in your pool
- Avoid swimming near marinas and docks. Swimmers should stay at least 50 feet away from marinas and docks.
- If a swimmer seems to be shocked while in the water, don’t jump in and try to save them, it’s highly likely that you’ll also be shocked. Instead, immediately turn off the power, warn others to stay away, and call for help.
- Have your whirlpool bath, dock, swimming pool, and boat inspected by a qualified and certified electrician every year. According to the Electric Shock Prevention Association, the dock and vessels in the water should be properly wired with GFCIs (ground-fault circuit interrupters). A GFCI turns off the power when the current leaks into areas where it can pose any danger.
- Always hire certified electricians and be sure to examine your vessels and dock or marina between inspections.
- Boating enthusiasts who rent slips should make sure that the marina owner or manager schedules annual inspections to be sure the electric system is safe. You can also schedule annual boat inspections.
- If you are swimming in a community or neighborhood pool, consult the pool manager or homeowner association representative to make sure the pool is inspected regularly.
- Report and fix loose or missing caulking. Missing or loose caulking might allow water to seep behind the hot tub, Jacuzzi, or pool walls, thus increasing the chances of coming into contact with electric components. This is also a sign that inspection and maintenance are not performed on a regular basis.
- If you feel a tingling/stinging sensation while in the water, swim away from any item that might be energized and get out of the water.
- Label power switches to spa equipment, lighting, hot tub, and pool.
- Ensure that all spas, pools, and hot tubs are at least 30 feet away from live power lines.
What should you do if you witness an Electric Shock Drowning Incident?
- Turn off the power source
- Do not enter the water
- Call emergency services (911)
- Use insulated devices to remove the victim from the water.
Typical victims of electric shock drowning are children swimming in or around docks or marinas where there is electricity. The electricity that causes ESD usually originates from faulty wiring of the marina or dock, or from boats and other vessels that are connected to the dock’s or marina’s power supply.
If a boat connected to a dock’s or marina’s shore power has an electric fault or its wiring does not meet current NFPA and ABYC standards, the water will be electrified. Remember, Electric Shock Drowning kills and severely injures many people each year.
What is a Shock Alert Floating Pool Alarm?
Shock Alert is a portable, floating pool alarm that continuously monitors water for electrical current in order to protect your friends and family from ESD (Electric Shock Drowning). It detects any stray electrical currents that might be dangerous.
Since Shock Alert is a passive device, it’s not connected to any electrical system or outlet that could be potentially dangerous around water.
How does the Shock Alert Floating Pool Alarm Work?
Shock Alert sounds an alert and flashes a warning light when it detects an electrical current in the water. It is great for monitoring pools, docks, and around boats. ESD (Electric Shock Drowning) occurs when a potentially dangerous electrical current leaks into the water around your dock, pool, or boat. It’s essential to keep in mind that the amount of electrical current required to cause serious injury or even death is very little.
Key Features and Benefits of Shock Alert
- Constant monitoring: Shock Alert monitors electrical current by staying in constant contact with the water
- Battery-operated, passive device: This electric drowning safety protection device is not connected to any other electric system to avoid introducing potentially dangerous electric current in the water.
- Easy to use: Simply activate the device and place it in the water to use.
- Portable: Shock Alarm is totally portable and you can easily take it with you to a different monitoring site
- Waterproof: The device is a totally enclosed and waterproof system
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Shock Alert is designed to stay in the water as you perform activities such as swimming or cleaning the pool. It works in a wide range of environments including freshwater pools, fiberglass pools, as well as saltwater pools.
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