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# Portable pools pose a problem for parents
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/portable_pools_pose_a_problem_for_parents_0621110600/
- Published: 2011-06-21T06:59:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:20:07.000Z
- Description: A Pediatrics analysis of CPSC data from 2001 to 2009 documented 209 fatal and 35 nonfatal submersions in portable pools. Ninety-four percent involved children under 5, 73 percent happened in the child's own yard and 81 percent in summer. Researchers want fencing, alarms and covers for these pools.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Environment, Health News, #vivvo-import

by Aimee Keenan-Greene

Nearly 400 children under the age of 15 die annually in pool and spa related drownings, and another 4,200 are treated for submersion injuries according to government statistics.

Now portable pools could be putting your kids at risk.

So says a new study in the June journal Pediatrics a retrospective analysis of fatal and nonfatal submersion events involving children under 12 years of age in portable pools using injury and fatality data compiled by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission from 2001 through 2009\. 

Researchers say portable pools, often inflatable, in residential settings pose a significant risk of drowning deaths to kids under 5-year-old. There were 209 fatal and 35 nonfatal submersion cases documented. The majority, 94 percent, involved children younger than 5 years, 56 percent involved boys, 73 percent occurred in the child's own yard, and 81 percent occurred during the summer months. The number of submersion events increased rapidly from 2001 to 2005 and then leveled off from 2005 to 2009.

Scientists are advising the industry to engage in development of effective and affordable protective devices for portable pools, including isolation fencing, pool alarms, and safety covers. They also suggest "a pervasive consumer education campaign to make consumers aware of the dangers of portable pools, because these small, inexpensive, consumer-installed pools may not generate the same sense of risk as a larger in-ground pool." 

PoolSafely.gov is a CPSC driven site designed to help keep your family safe. The CPSC suggests you gauge the effectiveness of your water safety measures, and determine what steps need to be taken to protect children from drowning and submersion injuries by answering these questions:

Is there a fence around the perimeter of your pool or spa?

Are there self-closing and self-latching gates?

Are there door, gate or pool alarms in use?

Does your pool have anti-entrapment drain covers that are compliant with the P&SS Act?

Are all pool and spa covers in working order?

Has the public pool or spa you use been inspected to ensure it is compliant with federal, state and local laws?

Has someone in the family received training in CPR, first aid and emergency response?

Has everyone learned to swim?

Seven-year-old Virginia Graeme Baker’s tragic death inspired her family to advocate for pool and spa safety and moved Congress to act to prevent entrapments. Federal requirements outlined in the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (P&SS Act) act as the minimum standard for pool and spa safety regulations in the US. Individual states are permitted to be more restrictive as long as those restrictions do not hinder the intent of the federal law or make complying with the federal requirements impossible.