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8-year-old boy drowns in swimming pool

2

Comments

  • #32
    goldenbrown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 444 ✭✭goldenbrown


    friday 930 news record that there were s i x lifeguards on duty


    shame on them and that disgusting pool


  • #33
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    A similar drowning occurred at the west County Hotel a number of years ago, I knew the father of this child, a three year old boy drowned in a fully supervised pool at a leasure complex.

    Should the the swimmer / lifeguard ratio be increased if there are more younger swimmers present? or should they allow only a certain amount of kids in a pool at a time if it is mixed with adults?

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2001/0115/drowning.html


  • #34
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    Run_to_da_hills wrote: »
    A similar drowning occurred at the west County Hotel a number of years ago, I knew the father of this child, a three year old boy drowned in a fully supervised pool at a leasure complex.

    Should the the swimmer / lifeguard ratio be increased if there are more younger swimmers present? or should they allow only a certain amount of kids in a pool at a time if it is mixed with adults?

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2001/0115/drowning.html
    No 3 year old should be in a pool without an adult by their side at all times, that's for sure.

    An 8 year old may be no different.


  • #35
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    goldenbrown wrote: »
    friday 930 news record that there were s i x lifeguards on duty


    shame on them and that disgusting pool
    You have no idea what happened, if it turns out they were all in the changing rooms playing tiddlywinks then I'll agree with you.

    I'm not just going to assume they were at fault though.


  • #36
    Euro_Kraut
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,957 ✭✭✭Euro_Kraut


    Accident happens like this. I remember a young girl died in the swimming pool in Tuam a few yeasr back.

    Its very sad. But lets not over react. Its is a slow news day. A kid died in a pool. Terrible for the family, friends and the Navan community. This is really not the stuff of national headlines.

    A investigation will be carried out as is the legal requirement. Until we know what happened I think speculation is not helpful.


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  • #37
    mirwillbeback
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭mirwillbeback


    Run_to_da_hills wrote: »
    A similar drowning occurred at the west County Hotel a number of years ago, I knew the father of this child, a three year old boy drowned in a fully supervised pool at a leasure complex.

    Should the the swimmer / lifeguard ratio be increased if there are more younger swimmers present? or should they allow only a certain amount of kids in a pool at a time if it is mixed with adults?

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2001/0115/drowning.html

    I was in the Carlton Hotel in Athy on Tuesday morning swimming with my 6 year old and was amazed that despite about 6 other children in the pool there was no sign of any life guard on duty. Only takes a second for a child to get into trouble.


  • #38
    Long Onion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,342 ✭✭✭Long Onion


    You can't leave kids out of sight for a minute when there is water around. I'm not trying to deride anyone here, but personally I would not trust anyone to supervise my son, if he's swimming, I'm with him - end of.

    If you do decide to delegate your responsibitity, you have to be prepared - six lifeguards or not if there are more than six people in the pool, the child will not get the 100% attention they need when in the water.

    That's my view anyway, not judging and feel deeply sorry for the family.

    P.S. on the humour debate, from the responses i've seen to some posts, the poulation is well capable of deciding what is and isn't decent.


  • #39
    greendom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,382 ✭✭✭✭greendom


    MagicMarker wrote: »
    No 3 year old should be in a pool without an adult by their side at all times, that's for sure.

    An 8 year old may be no different.

    I agree with the 3 year old - by the age of 8 it depends on the ability level of the child surely ?


  • #40
    Long Onion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,342 ✭✭✭Long Onion


    greendom wrote: »
    by the age of 8 it depends on the ability level of the child surely ?

    Would you take the chance with your child?


  • #41
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 61,101 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Either way, a thorough investigation needs to be carried out, not the usual bull, oh it's terrible, what an accident, case closed.... If the lifeguards were negligent, then something
    has to be done. I find it odd that this could have happened with six of them, though, it only takes an inhalation of a certain amount of water to drown a person.


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  • #42
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    greendom wrote: »
    I agree with the 3 year old - by the age of 8 it depends on the ability level of the child surely ?
    Does it? When I was that age I swan at a local swimming baths in an olympic size pool, there were lifeguards but there were at times 100+ people in the pool.

    I was obviously fine but would I be so trusting with my own children? I don't think I would.


  • #43
    hotshot_rf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27 ✭hotshot_rf


    Ok, this is a very complex issue which i need to comment. Firstly, people cant just blame the lifeguards. Having been a lifeguard for many years, i now realise how difficult the job is, especially on tough days like yesterday. Imagine how they felt yesterday? Imagine how they slept last night? Imagine all the questionning over the coming days?

    Obviously, my sympathies are with the boys family, but also, with the Lifeguards. It is such a responsibility to have so any lives in your hands. In a pool with 50 or 60 people in it, or even 20, it is so hard to monitor them all. In a matter of seconds, a young child can go under. Remember that.


  • #44
    goldenbrown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 444 ✭✭goldenbrown


    MagicMarker wrote: »
    You have no idea what happened, if it turns out they were all in the changing rooms playing tiddlywinks then I'll agree with you.

    I'm not just going to assume they were at fault though.


    I clearly know what happened
    an 8 year drowns in a pool where there were 6 life guards on duty
    what part of this do you not follow you clown?


  • #45
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    goldenbrown wrote: »
    I clearly know what happened
    an 8 year drowns in a pool where there were 6 life guards on duty
    what part of this do you not follow you clown?
    How many other people were in the pool?

    Cop the fuck on, you have no idea what happened.


  • #46
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 61,101 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    goldenbrown wrote: »
    I clearly know what happened
    an 8 year drowns in a pool where there were 6 life guards on duty
    what part of this do you not follow you clown?

    Maybe you should wait until all the facts come out before you
    start insulting others.


  • #47
    Terry
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,073 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    goldenbrown wrote: »
    I clearly know what happened
    an 8 year drowns in a pool where there were 6 life guards on duty
    what part of this do you not follow you clown?
    Banned.


  • #48
    the_syco
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,310 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0821/breaking17.htm
    “The youngster was seen in difficulty in the water and he was taken from the water by a lifeguard who attended to him at the poolside,” he said.
    An ambulance was called to the pool and paramedics attempted to resuscitate the boy before he was taken to Navan General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
    From teaching youngsters how to swim, I know that you must keep an eye on them at all times. As they cannot, in most cases, stand up in the pool, they can quickly get into difficulty if they are more than half a foot away from the side of the pool.

    When I was teaching, I'd be teaching 15 kids, and I'd usually have another lifeguard also helping to teach (this particular group were all "starters" and held onto the rail for dear life :D).

    Six lifeguards, lots of people.... meh. There should be a ban on small kids in a pool unless there's a 1:1 or parent:child ratio, IMO, as most of them can't swim.


  • #49
    greendom
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,382 ✭✭✭✭greendom


    Long Onion wrote: »
    Would you take the chance with your child?

    My son has just turned 9 and he was in an Aura pool yesterday (not Navan) so this has had quite an effect on me. He's been learning to swim since he was 5 and me or my wife have always been there to watch him (usually from the sidelines) He was a very timid swimmer to begin with and took a long time to move out of the beginners class but he's progressing rapidly now, although not fully fledged by a long way. So I have done; the supervision has always been excellent and he has never been in a "free swimming" environment. So I'm not sure whether the answer is yes or no


  • #50
    kc66
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,272 ✭✭✭kc66


    walshb wrote: »
    Very sad, Was the boy a foreign national, as his name and the name of the parents
    seem to say so.?

    I think so. My neighbour is Nigerian and was telling us about this yesterday. It is the son of her friend that drowned.
    Very sad.


  • #51
    Ghost Train
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 31,581 ✭✭✭✭Ghost Train


    From what was siad on the radio about 80 people in the main pool and the times story says that 8 life guards were around.


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  • #52
    swim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36 ✭swim


    My sympathies firstly go to the family of the boy. It is a terrible tragedy.

    I have worked in various pools and leisure centres.

    I would like to know first, before making a judgement. How many of the 6 or 8 lifeguards(some newspapers are saying there were 8 on duty) who were on duty were watching the pool at the time of the accident?
    Were any of them cleaning changing rooms, as is part of the job of a lifeguard. Were any of them on a lunch break?
    Did the boy have any previous medical conditions that may have led to his accident?

    A lot of pools have a rule that children aged 8 and under have to be accompanied by an adult at all times. Some pools have it for 7 years and under.

    if it comes out that all were on deck there is no excuse for what happened, none whatsoever. They are responsible for safety on the deck of the pool.


  • #53
    Stark
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 21,377 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    He was pulled out of the water when he got into difficulty but he died at the poolside. Sounds like he could well have had a prior condition that caused him to get into trouble.


  • #54
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    swim wrote: »
    if it comes out that all were on deck there is no excuse for what happened, none whatsoever. They are responsible for safety on the deck of the pool.

    Even if there were 80 people in the pool?


  • #55
    swim
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36 ✭swim


    Yes, 80 people is enough for 8 lifeguards to watch, in my opinion. Others may differ.
    On some beaches in Ireland there are around 5-7 lifeguards and it depends on the weather day as to how many they have to watch. If its a sunny day it could be 200-300 people.

    If he had a previous condition then the situation would be different.

    Most pools have a got a limit of the number of people that they let in.
    80 sounds like a lot in a pool, but if 20-30 of them were adults it is a little easier to watch. However if all 80 were children it can be difficult.

    But the lifeguards are trained to watch the pool at all times...

    As I said this is only my opinion and I wait to hear the official report


  • #56
    SV
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,533 ✭✭✭SV


    stovelid wrote: »
    I doubt many will so why don't you leave the modding to the mods?

    I'm just saying piss off to those before they do come in, as I'd only end up coming back to say it anyway. It's not modding at all.
    and it's AH, you doubt many will? Come on now..


    pickarooney wrote: »
    Fair enough, but why do people post this kind of thread in AH? There's a News and Media forum whose charter covers serious topical news issues; they're not suitable for this forum IMO.

    Why not?
    AH isn't ALL about jokes and laughs.
    If this is expected on these kinds of threads then what on earth is the lolocaust for?


  • #57
    stovelid
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,252 ✭✭✭✭stovelid


    SV wrote: »
    AH isn't ALL about jokes and laughs.

    Are you promulgating a new charter here?


  • #58
    SV
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,533 ✭✭✭SV


    stovelid wrote: »
    Are you promulgating a new charter here?

    No, why would you think I am?
    That's just how I view it.


  • #59
    Red Sleeping Beauty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,443 ✭✭✭Red Sleeping Beauty


    pickarooney wrote: »
    Fair enough, but why do people post this kind of thread in AH? There's a News and Media forum whose charter covers serious topical news issues; they're not suitable for this forum IMO.

    A Current Affairs forum is needed ;)
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/search.php?searchid=8083533
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=61336950


  • #60
    walshb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 61,101 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    I heard there was maybe 60 people in the pool, 2/3 full and the 8 year old went there with his sister and 18 yearl old brother. The brother left to bring the sister home and the the tragedy happened. I think it's too early to be blaming lifeguards and even if they were on duty and alert, it still is not a guarantee that a child is safe completely.

    A crowded and noisy and possibly boisterous pool, a small 8 year old goes unnoticed for a couple of seconds, inhales water and is dead.

    Now, if they were shown to be doddling, then yes, they should be held accountable, but even alert and taking the job serious, it's very hard job to ensure EVERYONE is safe and well ad nobody is in any danger


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  • #61
    Carsinian Thau
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭Carsinian Thau


    walshb wrote: »
    I heard there was maybe 60 people in the pool, 2/3 full and the 8 year old went there with his sister and 18 yearl old brother. The brother left to bring the sister home and the the tragedy happened. I think it's too early to be blaming lifeguards and even if they were on duty and alert, it still is not a guarantee that a child is safe completely.

    A crowded and noisy and possibly boisterous pool, a small 8 year old goes unnoticed for a couple of seconds, inhales water and is dead.

    Now, if they were shown to be doddling, then yes, they should be held accountable, but even alert and taking the job serious, it's very hard job to ensure EVERYONE is safe and well ad nobody is in any danger

    +1

    I think there was about 1 lifeguard there for every 10 swimmers. That would make it rather difficult for them to keep an eye on everyone.

    Especially if he had an underlying condition which would have caused him to get into difficulty quickly.

    As regards the lifeguards, the investigative report is the only thing that will shed light on this. But personally, I intend to view this as a tragedy for all involved. And that the lifeguards do not deserve to be demonised without proof.


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