Pool Safety & FAQs

Drowning - The Tragic Reality

Drowning is the 2nd leading cause of injury death in the USA in the under 15's.
In 18 of the 50 states, drowning was the number one cause of unintentional injury death of children 1 to 4 years of age.
67% of all drownings occur in backyard spas, pools and bathtubs.
The majority of drowning incidents have occurred while the child's supervisor assumed the child was safely indoors.
A child can drown in less time than it takes to answer the telephone.
A child can drown in as little as 5-8cm of water in as little as 30 seconds.
Children less than 5 years of age and young people aged 15 to 24 years have the highest drowning rates.
For every child who drowns, four children are hospitalized for near-drowning.
One third of those removed from water after a near-drowning are comatose on admission, survive but suffer significant neurological impairment. Irreversible brain damage may occur after 3-5 minutes.
The annual cost of care per year in a chronic care facility for an impaired survivor of a near- drowning event is approximately $100000.

As reported by the following organizations -
The American Academy of Pediatrics - Committee on injury and poison prevention.
World Health Organization Guidelines for safe recreational water environments - Vol 2 swimming pools, spas and similar recreational water facilities.

What happens if my child falls or crawls onto the katchakid?

The Katchakid^® serves as a barrier between the child and the water. As long as the net is in good condition, properly positioned and tensioned, the net will support the weight of a young child near the pool’s edge. Katchakid’s unique mesh size has a dual action: small enough to prevent a toddler’s head from penetrating the net while simultaneously large enough to discourage movement. Most children will find the Katchakid uncomfortable to move on, which will also deter any further crawling on the net.

What if my child falls face down on the katchakid?

This is obviously dependent of the age and weight of your child but most children under five years will be kept off the water and out of danger. If a child over five years falls face down on the Katchakid, he or she is usually capable of getting straight back up and off of the net.

Can a child remove the katchakid or crawl underneath it?

The Katchakid cannot be removed by most children under 12 years of age. When properly positioned, anchored and tensioned the net will not have any perimeter gaps for a child to crawl underneath

How is the katchakid secured to the pool?

The Katchakid is custom-shaped during installation by our trained professional technicians. The Katchakid is then attached by a small stainless steel fastener to a brass or nylon anchor, spaced at +/– 30-inch intervals around the pool.

How long does it take to remove and replace the katchakid and is it difficult?

It generally takes three to five minutes to remove the Katchakid and five to eight minutes to replace the net on an average swimming pool. Most of Katchakid’s regular users are female so we have developed our CTS system with this consideration.

Will the katchakid interfere with my pool cleaner?

No. When properly positioned, anchored and tensioned the Katchakid will not interfere with most standard automatic pool cleaning equipment. Chemical maintenance is also easy – you don’t have to remove the Katchakid to chlorinate your pool.

How long can i expect my katchakid to last?

A Katchakid that has been treated with a reasonable amount of care should last an average of ten years.

My pool has a complex shape with a negative edge. Can it be covered?

Thirty years of operation equals a lot of nets and covers. Katchakid has covered every type of open water – from reservoirs to municipality swimming pools and ponds. This vast experience makes it possible for us to undertake and cover any variety of water feature or unsafe areas with total confidence.