OK maybe, just maybe I am overreacting here but I am so angry right now.
Yesterday my daughter went to the local swimming baths with my friend and her children. Within an hour I was at the pool hugging my daughter and wanting to murder anybody that has anything to do with the safety issues that surround the running of an extremely popular pastime.
My daughter is 12 years old and a strong and confident swimmer so I had no hesitation at all in letting her go with her friends. But.....she had dived into the pool and was swimming along the bottom when the suction pumps at the bottom of the pool swept her hair into the grilled vent. There was no way she could get back to the surface. If it had not been for the quick actions of her friends and the 2 wonderful lifeguards who smashed the grill and dragged her unconscious out of the pool, she would not be here today. I will say that the speed of the ambulance and doctors arrival was second to none and the police were very good. But...........what equipment are they using here in the public pools? Am I wrong in my complete and utter amazement that the suction system used should have gone out with the arc! Or is this normal here. At the very least some sort of safety cover over the grill should be in use.
I am assured that the pool my daughter was using is now to be closed for this season and apparently will be overhauled.
I just thank god that it did not take a tragedy, just and i use the term flippantly,a near miss to ensure that this pool at least will be safe for all to swim in.
Waterlily
FURIOUS AND SO GRATEFUL
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hillybilly
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Beachcomber
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I'm sorry your daughter had to experience this upsetting incident and glad that she is OK but this system is in common usage and the way you describe the filtration system appears to comply with the Junta de Andalucía swimming pool regulations article 5 paragraph 4 of which states:
El sistema de desagüe del fondo del vaso debe permitir el vaciado total del agua, que será evacuada en la red de saneamiento cuando ésta exista, y, en su ausencia, donde se determine por la Administración competente. Con el fin de prevenir situaciones de riesgo que puedan afectar a las personas, el sistema estará protegido mediante rejillas u otro dispositivo de seguridad resistente a la acción corrosiva del agua.
Which briefly says that the drainage system on the floor of the pool must permit it to be totally emptied into the sewerage system and in its absence into a location determined by the competent Administration. In order to prevent dangerous situations that could affect swimmers the system will be protected by grills or other security methods which are resistant to the corrosive effects of the water.
I think the main criticism would be bathers with long hair appear to be allowed into the pool without a bathing cap although this is not provided for in the regulations it is usually enforced locally. It is certainly a rule which is strictly enforced in the complex where I own an apartment and would have prevented this accident from happening.
El sistema de desagüe del fondo del vaso debe permitir el vaciado total del agua, que será evacuada en la red de saneamiento cuando ésta exista, y, en su ausencia, donde se determine por la Administración competente. Con el fin de prevenir situaciones de riesgo que puedan afectar a las personas, el sistema estará protegido mediante rejillas u otro dispositivo de seguridad resistente a la acción corrosiva del agua.
Which briefly says that the drainage system on the floor of the pool must permit it to be totally emptied into the sewerage system and in its absence into a location determined by the competent Administration. In order to prevent dangerous situations that could affect swimmers the system will be protected by grills or other security methods which are resistant to the corrosive effects of the water.
I think the main criticism would be bathers with long hair appear to be allowed into the pool without a bathing cap although this is not provided for in the regulations it is usually enforced locally. It is certainly a rule which is strictly enforced in the complex where I own an apartment and would have prevented this accident from happening.
Last edited by Anonymous on Sun Jun 25, 2006 12:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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hillybilly
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I wondered why Herrera pool insists on bathing caps. Now I know!Beachcomber wrote:I think the main criticism would be bathers with long hair appear to be allowed into the pool without a bathing cap although this is not provided for in the regulations it is usually enforced locally. It is certainly a rule which is strictly enforced in the complex where I own an apartment and would have prevented this accident from happening.
FURIOUS
Well its about time the equipment and safety rules were updated then!
There were about 80 plus bathers at the pool, and no, not a single person was wearing a bathing cap! And whilst I take on board the fact that yes, of course if a bathing cap had of been worn this dreadful situation would never have arisen, nevertheless it did. I have to be honest and say that my Spanish is still in the basic stages and there may have been notices around the pool areas stating that bathing caps must be worn. And indeed if this is the case my daughter and the other bathers at the pool should never of been allowed to enter the water without a cap!
Hopefully this thread can be of use to other parents who's children enjoy a day out at thier local pool. Please, please ensure they have a bathing cap regardless of the fact that nobody else may be wearing one.
OK orange box time over, my daughter is safe if still a little shaken. and no, I am not running back to good old blighty (and I use the term good very loosley). I love our life here and intend for it to be our home despite the fact I am fast becoming addicted to the 2 or 3 glasses of wine at night on the terrace (Ok maybe bottles) and I now smoke far more than is good for me!!!! After all apparently the younger of the lifeguards that saved her was, in her words, a babe! That I think concerns me far more now!!!
There were about 80 plus bathers at the pool, and no, not a single person was wearing a bathing cap! And whilst I take on board the fact that yes, of course if a bathing cap had of been worn this dreadful situation would never have arisen, nevertheless it did. I have to be honest and say that my Spanish is still in the basic stages and there may have been notices around the pool areas stating that bathing caps must be worn. And indeed if this is the case my daughter and the other bathers at the pool should never of been allowed to enter the water without a cap!
Hopefully this thread can be of use to other parents who's children enjoy a day out at thier local pool. Please, please ensure they have a bathing cap regardless of the fact that nobody else may be wearing one.
OK orange box time over, my daughter is safe if still a little shaken. and no, I am not running back to good old blighty (and I use the term good very loosley). I love our life here and intend for it to be our home despite the fact I am fast becoming addicted to the 2 or 3 glasses of wine at night on the terrace (Ok maybe bottles) and I now smoke far more than is good for me!!!! After all apparently the younger of the lifeguards that saved her was, in her words, a babe! That I think concerns me far more now!!!
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safeashouses
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Waterlily what a dreadful experience and what a warning to us all.
We took our friend's daughter to our apartment with us last year and she has long hair and loves diving and swimming underwater. It's a chilling thought and I will make sure in future that even if she won't wear a cap that she at least put's her hair into a bun for swimming.
We took our friend's daughter to our apartment with us last year and she has long hair and loves diving and swimming underwater. It's a chilling thought and I will make sure in future that even if she won't wear a cap that she at least put's her hair into a bun for swimming.
I seem to remember reading some time ago about a similar incident at a pool in England. Glad your daughter is safe and well, awful experience.
I used to wonder why all the local kids who use our pool when my grandkids are here wore bathing caps and tried to convince us that our grandaughter should do likewise, think I know now.
Mhic.
I used to wonder why all the local kids who use our pool when my grandkids are here wore bathing caps and tried to convince us that our grandaughter should do likewise, think I know now.
Mhic.
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Beachcomber
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I am assuming that this was an outdoor uncovered swimming pool.
The reason I ask is that the Junta de Andalucía regulations state that a bathing cap must be worn when using an indoor pool:
-Utilización de gorros de baño en las piscinas cubiertas.
but given that the filtration systems of both indoor and outdoor pools are basically the same I am at a loss to understand why it specifies indoor pools only although it is made clear that these regulations only state the minimum requirements.
The reason I ask is that the Junta de Andalucía regulations state that a bathing cap must be worn when using an indoor pool:
-Utilización de gorros de baño en las piscinas cubiertas.
but given that the filtration systems of both indoor and outdoor pools are basically the same I am at a loss to understand why it specifies indoor pools only although it is made clear that these regulations only state the minimum requirements.
I'm going back a good few years now but whenever I went to a swimming pool you couldn't enter the water without a swimming cap. If you turned up without one, they had a number available for hire. The reason then was hygiene. It's a bit like trying to get kids to put on cycling helmets these days - it's just not fashionable.
You must have been frantic with worry about your daughter, I know I would have been, and am so pleased that everything turned out positive in the end. Let's hope you can get her back into a swimming pool soon so that she gets over the horrific scare you have all suffered.
You must have been frantic with worry about your daughter, I know I would have been, and am so pleased that everything turned out positive in the end. Let's hope you can get her back into a swimming pool soon so that she gets over the horrific scare you have all suffered.
Since I gave up hope I feel much better!
Scary tale indeed. I'm happy that your daughter is none the worse for wear. Unfortunately, the biggest problem, even if the Spanish introduced a sensible rule about their municipal pools, is persuading them to enforce it.
How many of us have seen motorcyclists roaring round without helmets, only to wear them for a few days every few months when there is a purge. When no purge is going on the police ignore them!
Or, as in the village I live in, the Trafico police have no jurisdiction inside the village boundary for some reason despite having a Guardia Civil cuartel which does. You see unroadworthy old bangers being driven with aplomb by totally legless drivers at all hours of the day and night. I have seen the Guardia Civil pop into a bar to ask a driver to move one of these vehicles if they are too badly parked and in the process they ignore the state of the car and the inability of the driver to even find the ignition with his key because they aren't Trafico. And the local police do nothing about the coke-fuelled complete lunatics on quad bikes. According to friends in the Guardia who apparently report them to the local police occasionally - nothing is done as they are so-and-so's son etc and they don't like to make waves. This is irresepctive of the fact that they are being driven way in excess of the 45kph they are restricted to and almost certainly without insurance etc.
So basically I think we have to take extra precautions ourselves.
How many of us have seen motorcyclists roaring round without helmets, only to wear them for a few days every few months when there is a purge. When no purge is going on the police ignore them!
Or, as in the village I live in, the Trafico police have no jurisdiction inside the village boundary for some reason despite having a Guardia Civil cuartel which does. You see unroadworthy old bangers being driven with aplomb by totally legless drivers at all hours of the day and night. I have seen the Guardia Civil pop into a bar to ask a driver to move one of these vehicles if they are too badly parked and in the process they ignore the state of the car and the inability of the driver to even find the ignition with his key because they aren't Trafico. And the local police do nothing about the coke-fuelled complete lunatics on quad bikes. According to friends in the Guardia who apparently report them to the local police occasionally - nothing is done as they are so-and-so's son etc and they don't like to make waves. This is irresepctive of the fact that they are being driven way in excess of the 45kph they are restricted to and almost certainly without insurance etc.
So basically I think we have to take extra precautions ourselves.
I showed my teenage son this thread with your nightmare tale Waterlily, as he has over shoulder length long hair and we will be hanging out at municipal pools a fair bit in the summer. His response to a bathing cap is unprintable and joining the pony tail club is not on the cards either, so I guess I am going to have to spend the summer sitting by the pools with a pair of scissors in my hand every time he goes in for a dip.
Grouser
FURIOUS
Well Grouser at least he has read the thread and will be aware of the danger. So that in itself is a bonus.
Might see you at the pool side, im the one holding the end of the piece of string tied round my kids waists!!!!
Waterlily
Might see you at the pool side, im the one holding the end of the piece of string tied round my kids waists!!!!
Waterlily
Some years ago I saw one of those "999" TV programmes (where emergency situations are re-run) and it featured a girl who experienced exactly the same thing in an indoor council pool in England. Luckily someone had the presence of mind to rush to the swimming pool cafe, grab a pair of scissors (or it might have even been a sharp knife) and they managed to cut off the girl's hair and free her.
So parents of long haired children might want to keep a pair of scissors handy, at any swimming pool, not just in Spain. Very glad your daughter is OK.
Jane
So parents of long haired children might want to keep a pair of scissors handy, at any swimming pool, not just in Spain. Very glad your daughter is OK.
Jane
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