[IMG]http://simplefeed.consumerreports.org/rsrc/i/1/_/stay_safe_in_and_around_the_pool_this_summer__1082 25643/4.gif?f=3dcb3160-01dc-11dc-32a2-0019bbc55f7f&s=AewyNia7NTvDvhaDemju5DEsbnVsbCwwLDA *[/IMG] Stay safe in and around the pool this summer

Some sobering statistics about pools and kids just out from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:

? Each year, nearly 300 children younger than the age of 5 drown in pools and spas, and around 3,000 kids suffer pool- or spa-related injuries that require attention at a hospital emergency room.

? About two-thirds of pool- and spa-related deaths and injuries involve 1- to 2-year-olds, with around 80 percent of the drowning fatalities occurring in residential settings.

? From 1999 through 2008, the CPSC says, 83 incidents of pool and spa entrapments, including 11 deaths and 69 injuries, were reported. And since 1999, 14 percent of the reported suction/entrapment incidents at pools or spas were fatal.

With Memorial Day upon us and pool season here, adhering to smart pool-safety rules is key. Learn how by reading the advice from the experts at the Consumer Reports Safety blog in "Does Your Pool Meet the New Safety Rules?" and "Make Sure Your Pool Is Child-Safe This Summer."

Also visit the CPSC's new PoolSafety.gov site and watch its safety videos.


Essential information: Get ready for Memorial Day grilling.

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