April 2002
Another
day, another body, another mother cries. Splash. Splash. Splash.
As the year turns from school to summer I am forced to once again
be reminded of the void in education, caring and concern that we as a
society seem to have for many of those that are least able to care for
themselves. The
names and circumstances of the tiny victims scream at us from the
Newspaper, the TV and the Radio and still we really only give lip service
to finding a solution. More fences we cry. Better supervision we plead.
But still the bodies drop. Splash. Splash. Splash. Fences
are installed with new pools and erected around existing ones and still
the death toll mounts. Pool
alarms are sold, self-closing gates are installed but still we hear the
horrid sound. Splash. Splash. Splash. Pools
and the sound of splashing water are supposed to be a joyous part of
summer life. But for far too many families those sounds and images are
forever linked with pain, sorrow and regret. It does not have to be this
way. Simple
and effective efforts can begin to turn the tide so that you, your
neighbor or your friends do not have to bear the scars of losing one so
close. It is a change that does not require government intervention or
legislative mandate. But can simply start as a ground swell that could
show the rest of the country how much we, as citizens, care about each
other. Five
years ago I was a partner/investor in a Pool Construction company that
sought to deal with this problem and we really felt that what we were
doing could make a difference. It was a fairly inexpensive solution too
(how do you place a value on piece of mind and a clear conscience?) and we
thought the idea and concepts were so revolutionary that we wanted to
freely share it with others. We could not stomach the thought of turning
on the evening news or opening the morning paper to read or hear about the
loss or injury to a child of a family we had come to know and care about
during the construction of their pool. We
took the idea to the big Pool Builders. Not interested they said. “It
impacts the bottom line”, who knew they cared so little. We took the
story to the media. Not interested they said. “How would we fill the
time on our newscasts or the column inches in the paper if not for the
sight of parents weeping”, who knew they only wanted to report not
solve. What
is this revolutionary idea you ask. Simple we say. Care about your fellow
man. Invest back into the community. We teamed up with the American Red
Cross to provide as a no cost service to all of our customers a visit by a
Red Cross certified water safety instructor to teach both water safety and
CPR to all the members of the family. Yes, the pool had a fence. Yes, the
doors and gates were self-closing and self-latching but now we had helped
arm the family to actively defend themselves in the event the
inconceivable happened to them. They were now equipped with knowledge, a
life ring and a safety hook. They could look forward with anticipation and
not apprehension to enjoying and not dreading that expensive investment
that they had just put into their backyard. Some of the other Pool
Builders have since added this “service” to their menu of paid options
(hey look another profit center!) but how many families have been forced
to pick between water safety (accidents only happen to other people!) and
a basketball hoop (that first pool party sure will be fun!). As
someone that has performed CPR for “real” more than 20 times (albeit
in a Hospital setting) I can dispute the naysayers that this will make a
difference. Granted, years may pass before you find yourself called upon
to use this knowledge but at least you will have a frame of reference to
start from while on the phone with the 911 operator who can help you shake
the cobwebs from your mind and start this life saving procedure while you
are waiting for the professionals to arrive and take over. Pool
and Home Builders, Realtors and the Media could lead the way if they only
would. But I fear that the desire to increase profits and to have a story
to tell will continue to be their only concern. The cost for caring is
really quite cheap. It only cost our little company (80+ pools a year)
$100.00 to have a Red Cross representative visit, instruct and provide the
family with the equipment they needed to help them enjoy their new
creation with an increased sense of empowerment. Our little company
generated $1,400.000.00 in sales and the price for our piece of mind was
only $8,000.00, just a tiny fraction of a percent. If
the bigger Pool companies, large Homebuilders and leading Realtors teamed
up they could drive the cost down even further with their economies of
scale. Maybe this column can
serve to do what they in their silence refused to do those many years ago
by shaming them into true customer service and being good corporate
citizens Alas
however, I fear that we will continue to hear the anguished wail of
families and firefighters crying as they pull the little bodies from the
water. Splash. Splash. Splash. David
W. Riddle |