The shocking danger of swimming pools
Drowning is not the only danger of swimming pools. During the holiday weekend, three people — one at the Shore, one in Cherry Hill, and a third near Harrisburg —were seriously injured by electrical shocks after going into the water.
Drowning is not the only danger of swimming pools.
During the holiday weekend, three people — one at the Shore, one in Cherry Hill, and a third near Harrisburg —were hospitalized by electrical shocks after going into the water.
On Saturday, Greg Subiszak, 34, a New Jersey resident, was found face down in the Aztec Motel pool in Wildwood Crest. He was listed in critical condition in a Philadelphia hospital after a suspected electric shock from a faulty lamppost, according to the Associated Press.
On Sunday, an unidentified 8-year-old Cumberland County, Pa., girl was critically injured, and seven other children suffered shocks, in a backyard pool.
Police said a child standing outside the pool flipped a switch to turn on a light inside the pool, and there was some kind of electrical malfunction.
Also Sunday, a swimmer from the Woodcrest Swim Club in Cherry Hill who was "under duress" was taken to the hospital. A Public Service Electric & Gas crew was summoned, and an overhead service line that runs from the pole to the club facility was replaced.
In 2014, three swimmers in Philadelphia were treated at a hospital after they were shocked by an electrical current while climbing a ladder at O'Connor Pool at 26th and South Streets. The pool was then closed for the season.
While serious, such incidents are rare.
Between 2003 and 2014, 14 electrocutions in swimming pools were reported — a little more than one a year — ccording to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. By comparison, the National Weather Service reported 27 lightning fatalities in the nation last year.
Swimmers should be aware of the signs that the water may be charged with electricity.
A tingling sensation, muscle cramps, or an inability to move in a pool might be signs of shock. Flickering pool lights could be a danger sign.
"People should know exactly where all the electrical switches and circuit breakers are for their pools, hot tubs, and lights, so in an emergency they can turn them off quickly," said Ellyn Pollack, spokeswoman for the commission. Using battery-operated products — such as radios — and having low-voltage underwater lights is safer, she said.
The American Red Cross recommends having a fiberglass shepherd's crook/rescue hook on hand to pull swimmers from the pool should a shock or drowning occur.
Gary Grimes, president of Main Line Commercial Pools, said that while commercial pools must undergo regular maintenance and inspections for electrical problems, there are no regulations governing backyard pools after the initial inspection.
"The homeowner can do what they want," Grimes said. "Each township may have a different requirement for pools."
Joe Voci, president and owner of JDV Electric in Philadelphia, recommends yearly inspections.
"You want to try to prevent any problems before they happen," Voci said.
The pool area must be continually monitored for safety, said Michael Ciarrochi, construction manager for Armond Aquatech Pools.
Landscapers can inadvertently cut grounding wires with string trimmers, an electrician not familiar with codes may place an outside outlet too close to a pool, or a replacement pump might not be grounded properly, he said.
"There are things I see every day that are scary to me," Ciarrochi said.
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@MariSchaefer