If You're At A Public Pool, Chances Are You Shouldn't Dive

Every year, the trauma program at The William W. Backus Hospital sees at least one person who falls or dives into a swimming pool and ends up with a devastating injury.

“We have usually at least one major injury every year from this. And we think, that’s only one. Well, that’s one too many when you break your neck and you’re never going to walk again,” said Gillian Mosier, trauma program manager for the hospital.

Most of the public and municipal pools in the Groton and New London area aren’t deep enough to allow diving unless they’re specifically built for it, said Ryan McCammon, senior sanitarian of the Ledge Light Health District. The health district inspects public and municipal pools in 54 locations in six municipalities in Eastern Connecticut, including Groton town and Groton City.

According to the Connecticut Public Swimming Pool Manuel, the reference cited by the state Department of Public Health, the minimum depth of a diving well with a diving board of ½ to 1 meters is 10 feet.

Boards of 1.1. to 3 meters require a minimum depth of 12 feet.

The state health department issues guidelines for design and constructions of swimming pools, but turns inspections over to the local health department after the pools are built.

All public and municipal pools must be inspected yearly. Among the rules: depth markers must be at least four inches high and in contrast to the color of the decking, McCammon said.

“The big things we’re looking for are to make sure that the exterior and the decking is safe, (and) it has the necessary signage for pool rules,” he said.

Inspectors also check to make sure that the pool is enclosed with a fence at least four feet high, the water is clear so you an see to the bottom, the filtration system is functioning, disinfecting chemicals such as chlorine are at the right levels, and the pool has enough safety equipment for the number of swimmers it typically gets.

Most seasonal pool inspections are done in May.

Public pools aren’t required to have lifeguards, but they are required to have signs warning if they don’t have a lifeguard on duty. They’re also required to have a working phone at the pool deck in case of an emergency.

“The big thing we try to do is make sure they have all the right equipment,” McCammon said.

“There’s no guarantee that even if they have all the regulations (met), someone can’t do something they shouldn’t.”