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 Swimming Pool Safety
Supervision is the key word when it comes to pool safety. Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment. Do not be distracted by doorbells, phone calls, chores or conversation. If you must leave the pool area, take the children with you, making sure the pool gate latches securely when it closes.
Always keep your eyes on the children. Designate a child watcher when you attend a party, or have friends or family over. Do not depend on your older children to watch small children because they are easily distracted.
You must put up a fence to separate your house from the pool. Most young children who drown in pools wander out of the house and fall into the pool. Install a fence at least 4 feet high around all 4 sides of the pool. This fence will completely separate the pool from the house and play area of the yard. Use gates that self-close and self-latch, with latches higher than your children's reach.
A power safety cover that meets the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) adds to the protection of your children but should not be used in place of the fence between your house and the pool. Even fencing around your pool and using a power safety cover will not prevent all drownings.
Keep rescue equipment, such as a shepherd's hook or life preserver, and a telephone by the pool.
Do not let your child use air-filled "swimming aids" because they are not a substitute for approved life vests and can be dangerous.
Children under the age of 3 and children who cannot swim must wear a life jacket or personal floatation device.
Anyone watching young children around a pool should learn CPR and be able to rescue a child if needed.
Remove all toys from the pool after use so children are not tempted to reach for them.
After the children are done swimming, secure the pool so they cannot get back into it.
Send children to swimming and water safety lessons.
Talk with babysitters about pool safety, supervision and drowning prevention.
Post rules such as "No running," "No pushing," "No dunking," and "Never swim alone". Enforce the rules.
Do not assume that drowning or a drowning incident could not happen to you or your family.
Empty wading pools immediately after use and turn them over.
The National Spa & Pool Institute has additional water safety information on
their Website at http://www.nspi.org.
Chain-Younger wants you and your family to be safe when enjoying your swimming pool. Remember, teaching your child how to swim DOES NOT mean your child is safe in water. The best defense against swimming pool accidents is to follow the safety precautions above.
-David Cohn
HOT TOPIC
Gasoline Saving Tips
With the summer months now approaching, there are two things that you can count on in Kern County - the heat and soaring gasoline prices. To make matters worse, the Bakersfield Shell Oil Refinery closure scheduled for September 30, 2004, will undoubtedly ensure that California gasoline prices will remain over $2.00 per gallon for an indefinite period of time.
Drivers can benefit from many different strategies to save fuel. The obvious first step is buying a fuel-efficient vehicle. To get the best fuel economy, choosing a four-cylinder engine rather than a V6 or V8, is usually the way to go. To find information on fuel efficient cars, you can visit the EPA's Website at www.fueleconomy.gov.
However, there are other ways to save on fuel. Here are some simple gas saving tips:
- Do not let the engine run at idle any longer than necessary.
- Driving smoothly and steadily makes the best use of your fuel. Avoid hard acceleration or braking. Once up to speed, maintain a steady pace. Varying your speed wastes fuel. A vehicle's gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.
- At highway speeds, more than 50% of engine power goes to overcoming aerodynamic drag. Try not to add to the drag by carrying things on top of your vehicle.
- Use your air conditioner only when you really need it. Running the air conditioner robs power from the engine and uses additional fuel.
- An engine runs inefficiently when it is cold. Avoid many short, separate trips by combining as many errands as possible into one trip.
- If your car specifies regular fuel, do not buy premium under the mistaken belief that your engine will benefit. Most cars are designed to run just fine on regular gasoline.
- Keep your tires properly inflated. Underinflated tires require more energy to roll, which not only wastes fuel but also wears the tires faster.
- Keep your car properly maintained. A poorly maintained engine can cut gas mileage by 10 to 20 percent. A clogged air filter alone can cause up to a 10 percent increase in fuel consumption.
- Consider a credit card with gasoline rewards. Check the Internet for a current list of reward-card offerings (you will find these cards faster if you search for "gas").
- Do not fall for miracles by adding special oils or other additives. It is a waste of money according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- Share a ride. An easy way to double your gas mileage is to carpool with someone willing to do half the driving. Even better, ride the bus. For additional information on riding Bakersfield's GET bus system, visit
their Website at http://www.getbus.org
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