Community Wrestles With Pool Safety

By CANDACE J. SAMOLINSKI
 

WESLEY CHAPEL - Angela Nelson spends hours worrying about the little people.

In this case, those people are the nearly 300 children who live in the Northwood subdivision of 640 homes on County Line Road - many of who use the community swimming pool.

``I have lived here for eight years, and I've spent a lot of time trying to convince the people in charge that you can walk right into the [community] pool and drown,'' said Nelson, who bought the first house in Northwood. ``There are no locks, there is no supervision and there is no telephone to call anyone in case of an emergency.''

Nelson's concerns were reignited Monday morning when word spread that a 3- year-old boy had drown. The rumor proved a half-truth.

Pasco County paramedics were called to a home at 27520 Breakers Drive in Northwood about 4 p.m. Sunday, dispatchers said. A 3-year-old boy had been found floating in his parent's pool in the rear of the home, but he's recovering.

Regardless, Nelson said she is more intent than ever to rectify safety problems at the public pool. Northwood Homeowner's Association President Tony Parlatore also has expressed concerns about increasing vandalism and unsafe conditions in the pool area in a letter to the community's supervisor.

On Tuesday, Nelson, Parlatore and other residents took their worries to the Community Development District Board during a meeting. That's where Nelson learned something she said makes the need for quick action more critical.

In November, the board approved a measure to allow nonresidents to pay to use the Northwood pool. That hasn't happened yet, but plans are moving forward. Since the pool is owned by the CDD, which is considered a governmental entity, it's already open to the public.

``We already have people from Meadow Pointe and Pebble Creek [subdivisions] coming in to use the pool,'' resident David Rothman said.

There is nothing in Florida law that prohibits the community from charging this fee, but common sense should indicate the risks associated with public access, state health officials said Tuesday.

Parlatore has asked the board to consider replacing screens around the pool with jalousie windows, installing a fence and gate with locks and giving keys to a security guard, among others, who would patrol the area making security checks every one to two hours.

State Department of Health guidelines require any public pool to have a 42-inch fence around at least three sides with gates or other access. All access areas must be equipped with an alarm, key lock or self- locking mechanisms.

The Northwood pool now has a metal fence with gates that latch, but which are easily opened, Nelson said.

``There are always children running in and out of the pool area,'' she said. ``It's definitely not a struggle to get in there.''

In 2000, six children between the ages of 1 and 17 died from drowning, according to the latest statistics available from the Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner's Office. That number was down from 11 in 1999.

Nelson also is pushing the board to have a telephone installed near the pool, even if it's one that only dials 911. Some board members, who were appointed by developer U.S. Homes, questioned the need for a telephone.

Board member Larry Floyd suggested residents needing to make a 911 call run to a neighbor's house. Nelson refuted that, and asked, ``What about people who don't live here?''

By the end of the meeting, nothing had been decided. However, U.S. Homes representatives did instruct the board to take steps to address the concerns.

``I just hope they don't wait until something terrible happens to do something,'' Nelson said.

Reporter Candace J. Samolinski can be reached at (813) 948-4215.