SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — They are preventable tragedies and they keep happening in the Valley. This week alone, two young children lost their lives to drowning in backyard pools.
“I can tell you that there was not a pool fence around this pool," Phoenix Fire Captain Todd Keller said of a Tuesday morning drowning near 64th St. and Cactus. In this case, a two-year-old fell into a backyard pool, wasn't breathing, and later died at a local hospital.
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"It did not have a pool fence," Scottsdale Fire Captain Dave Folio said of a Thursday evening drowning near 73rd St. and Cypress. In this instance, a four-year-old boy fell into a pool and later died.
Both homes were described by fire crews as short-term rental properties. 12News has learned these homes are likely in violation of laws in both cities.
The City of Phoenix enacted a law in 1990 requiring pools to have a "non-climbable fence that is at least five feet in height" and requiring those fences to have a "self-closing and self-latching" gate door.
Similarly, the City of Scottsdale's website says homeowners must show a pool fence location and its height to get a pool plan approved. The fact that these two homes in question were short-term rentals has no bearing on those requirements.
“If you're choosing to go stay in a short-term rental, think about whether they have a pool if your kids don't know how to swim. Two, a pool fence. And three, constant supervision," Cpt. Folio said.
Folio says out-of-state visitors must be prepared to watch their children around any body of water, and if they aren't prepared to do so, they shouldn't rent a place with a pool in the backyard.
“Put your phones down. If you have to use the restroom, make sure somebody else is watching that pool. And then barriers, and learn CPR for when an incident like this happens, God forbid, and you can start CPR on whoever it might be," Cpt. Folio said.
Phoenix Police and Scottsdale Police are investigating whether criminal charges will be levied in both of these drowning cases. Those investigations are ongoing.
City of Scottsdale Communications and Public Affairs Director, Kelly Corsette, issued the following statement on the lack of pool fencing at the home where a child drowned on Thursday night:
"As an element of the investigation, the Police Department, along with other city departments, will also be investigating all applicable Scottsdale Revised Codes related to pool barrier safety requirements, and any other short-term rental code requirements."
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