Guest lahmeh Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I don't know if this has been posted yet but wanted to pass this along... http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/31759011#31759011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Yep, some of the pools in our city and surrounding area have remained closed this summer because the drains have to be replaced, but the budget in these times won't allow the costly repair (so they say). So we've heard about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabeline Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Thanks for posting. I have not heard about this and we love to swim in pools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proverbs356lady Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Thanks for posting this. I had no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lahmeh Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 You all are most welcome! I had such a lump in my throat watching this video. I just can't imagine any family ever having to go through this. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 That was sad to watch but very important. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyDay Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 My hair was sucked into one years ago. If not for my gf swimming with me at the time, I would certainly not have gotten to the surface. Brings back bad memories for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in MO Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Wow! I had absolutely no idea that these drains had such powerful suction. I had heard of swimmers (usually girls with long hair) getting their hair caught in those drains, but it sounds like the suction is so powerful that many children would simply not be able to get free. I'm so glad you posted this! I will definitely be watching out for these in the future. I wonder how many of our local pools are safe??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momtotkbb Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Wow! Going to check out our neighborhood pool --I think we have the old kind of drains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catalinakel Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Here in Nevada, all public pool drains had to be retrofitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 That was a horrifying story. Thanks for the warning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Thanks for the information. I'm going to call our local pools tomorrow and find out if they are in compliance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 I actually knew all about this and my children are forbidden to swim to the bottom of any pool. Several years ago on Larry King Live was a former government official (everyone would know who he is but his name escapes me at the moment). Anyway, his twin granddaughters were in a whirlpool with other people. One child got stuck on the suction/drain and drowned. So its not just swimming pools you need to be worried about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted July 9, 2009 Share Posted July 9, 2009 Yep, some of the pools in our city and surrounding area have remained closed this summer because the drains have to be replaced, but the budget in these times won't allow the costly repair (so they say). So we've heard about it. I had a long chat with one of the Youth Sports directors on base about the pool repairs that had to be done. One pool here on base wasn't open on time because there was a huge backorder of parts as every public pool (ie, not a private citizen's pool but one used by "the public") had to make sure they met the new standards. I'm hoping they get water in the last one soon, because we have a pool party scheduled in a couple weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RegGuheert Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Thanks for that link! I've always been afraid of bottom drains ever since seeing another TV expose about girls getting their hair caught in them. We sometimes, but not always, turn off our pump when we have girls with long hair swimming. My two daughters have been warned many times about staying away from the two drains. OTOH, I had not heard of the risk of suction entrapment. Our old drain covers had the holes around the outside of a dome, which I considered reasonably safe, as I had fiddled with testing the suction with my hands on many occasions and found it hard to create a strong suction, even when the valves are set so that only that one drain was connected to the pump. I can see how a flat drain cover would be VERY dangerous. We had to buy a new liner for our pool this year. When they put it in, they replaced the drain covers with a new style. You can see a picture of the new drain covers we got in this brochure from Hayward. (Look at the round cover on page 3 of this 5 MB PDF.) I must admit that when I saw this new cover, I was not convinced it would be safer. My reasoning is that I think it is more likely that hair can get entwined in a drain cover if there are lots of small holes versus a few larger slots. OTOH, as I have fiddled with testing suction around these new covers I have found that I cannot form ANY amount of suction, even if the pump pulls just from the one drain. I find it hard to even perceive that water is flowing into the drain. Here's hoping this new drain is not a larger danger for long hair to be entwined, but I'm not fully convinced. I think we need to be more diligent about always turning off the pump when we are in the pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Thanks for posting this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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