Never leave kids near swimming pools, warn Abu Dhabi Police

Abu Dhabi - The Abu Dhabi Police stressed that negligence had been a primary cause of drowning incidents involving children.

With more families taking a dip in pools to beat the summer heat, police in Abu Dhabi have reiterated a warning: Never leave kids unattended, whether they are in the water or not.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, July 28, the Abu Dhabi Police stressed that negligence had been a primary cause of drowning incidents involving children.
"Allowing children to use the swimming pools on their own is very dangerous. When left unattended, kids could also easily slip on the wet floor near a pool and accidentally fall into the water, thus leading to a drowning incident," said the police statement.
Children must be supervised whether they are in a pool or not, as there had been cases where tiny tots were able to sneak their way out of the house and into swimming areas, the police said.
Police forces across the country had previously reported several incidents of children drowning in swimming pools. Last year, Khaleej Times had reported seven such tragic incidents from January to August, including the two-year-old twin boys who drowned in the pool at their neighbour's house in Ras Al Khaimah. A month later, another toddler died in his family's home pool in Al Ain.
Parents are urged to put up fences around swimming pools to prevent kids from jumping in, police said. "Doors and gates leading to pools must also be locked at all times," the Abu Dhabi Police said.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com 
 

• Abu Dhabi