NY LAW: Mandatory Swimming Pool Alarms
July 23, 2008 10:15 am Keeping Your Family Safe, NY Laws and Cases
Image via WikipediaIf you have installed or modified a swimming pool in NY since December, 2006, you should know that NY law REQUIRES you to install a swimming pool alarm. Although none of us likes to spend more money to buy safety devices, we just have to keep in mind that they save lives and we all know you can’t put a price on that….
Thanks for reading,
Jim Reed
NY Accident & Injury Lawyer
jreed@zifflaw.com
Below is a story that WETM-TV, Elmira, NY, did on this pool alarm law:
NYS Pool Alarm Law Permanent
Reported by: Naveen Dhaliwal
ELMIRA HEIGHTS - New York State lawmakers have finally made a two year old pool alarm rule permanent. If you put a pool in your backyard, you need to have an alarm on it.
State lawmakers passed an emergency ruling two years ago that required all commercial and personal swimming pools to have an alarm system. That ruling expired last month and state lawmakers have now permanently adopted it.
Officials say alarms are required on all pools built or modified after December 14th of 2006. Experts say the temporary blows up pools also need to have alarms.
“Two bolts go into the top rail of the pool, and then the alarm just sits inside. It takes a 9 volt battery. Then there’s a separate remote that plugs into an outlet in your house so can hear it from in the house or out,” says Tom Witzel of Hesselson’s.
The cost of the alarms can range between $200 up to thousands of dollars.
Code enforcement officials say if you get caught without an alarm, you will be given a warning. After that you can get fined up to $1000 a day until an alarm is placed.
Officials say the law was originally put in place because 26 infants and children under the age of 14 drowned in a pool in 2002.
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Good to know, hope they don’t do that here in FL! If I am understanding correctly, they are legislating away to fix bad parenting?
Of course it is a good option for parents to have these alarms, but to be required? So even a person without kids, would be forced to get a alarm? Seems drastic.
July 24th, 2008 at 5:42 am
Dave:
Sorry but I have to respectfully disagree. As the father of three teens, I remember all too well that when my kids were toddlers, despite the fact that both my wife and I were very attentive parents, the little buggers could occassionally escape and disappear. Luckily, nothing bad happened but rather than relying on good luck, I would prefer that folks who own pools take precautions to try to avoid a tragedy. I know having to put up fences, gates and alarms, is an expense but as someone who has met with too many grieving families over the last 20+ years, I can tell you that it’s a small price to pay if it saves a single life…..
Jim Reed
N.Y. & PA Accident Lawyer
jreed@zifflaw.com
July 29th, 2008 at 10:25 am
I believe that is the greatest idea i have heard in a while. Some parents are not catious enough and seem to be distracted to other things then their children. To avoid death of a innocent life for a small price is well worth it.