Kids’ hands, hair... dangerous in pools

Kids’ hair and hands are the most common parts involved in swimming pool-related accidents in Dubai, according to a top Dubai Police Search and Rescue official.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, Major Khalid Al Hammadi, Head of Special Task Force in Dubai Police Search and Rescue Department, urged parents to be careful with their kids while in swimming pools.

“In the past few years, we have come across many accidents involving children in swimming pools. The most common types of accidents are kids’ hands and hair getting stuck in pool ducts. These are serious accidents as in many cases they may lead to serious injuries.”

Major Al Hammadi urged parents to have kids wear caps while swimming in pools, especially if they have long hair.

“In swimming pools, there are special ducts that transport water in and out.  At times, when kids are close to these ducts, there are chances of their hair being sucked into these ducts. It is also painful. Parents must be careful,” he explained.

Major Al Hammadi stressed that hair getting stuck, however, is not as serious an issue as limbs getting stuck. “Hair can be cut and the child released. But when hands get stuck, it is very difficult to free the child.”

“We came across many such cases. In most of them, we manage to free the kids. But in few incidents, we had to break the ducts to release kids’ hands.”

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.