According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the number one cause of death for children 1-4 years old in the United States.
May is National Water Safety Month and Pool Scouts of Chattanooga is looking to help raise awareness, and funds for children who may need swimming lessons but can’t afford it.
Pool Scouts of Chattanooga owner Sonya St. Cin started her pool maintenance company last year serving Hamilton County, and parts of North Georgia. She said for every pool service completed in the month of May; her franchise will donate $1 to the Hope Float Foundation which provides scholarships for children to receive swimming lessons.
St. Cin said losing a child to drowning is terrible and swimming classes are a way to avoid such tragedies.
“On a personal level, someone just a few houses down for me, in the fall, had a child that died from drowning in their pool,” she said. “Right here on my own street and it's just devastating.”
Hope Floats partners with individuals, businesses, and foundations to provide scholarships for swimming lessons for children living in poverty. Scholarships and tuition assistance are provided for children who might not otherwise be able to afford swimming lessons.
St. Cin said her goal, as a small business owner in the Scenic City, is to pair up with other swimming schools here that are also able to provide those services.
Having her own pool made her realize that it was sometimes difficult to schedule pool technicians to come to her home and keep it maintained.
“It seemed impossible to get anybody out here to help me with my pool,” she said. She purchased her Pool Scout franchise to assist other pool owners, so they have access to services they need in a professional and timely manner.
With summer right around the corner, St. Cin said maintenance calls are starting to pour in. Pool Scouts of Chattanooga offers cleaning services, maintenance services and specialty services.
“A lot of our customers are once a week, some are every other week and some just want us to come out and get their pool clean and sparkling first of the year,” she said.
Their cleaning service ensures the pool is clean and free from debris. Her technicians follow a specific checklist and test the water so they can add any required chemicals to make sure the water is balanced and ready for swimmers.
Pool services ensure the pool is clean and ready as you prepare to open the pool for the summer or get ready to cover the pool during the fall and winter. The technicians can perform equipment checks on the pool filter, pump and motors, replacing filter cartridges when needed. Specialty services include pool heater installations, saltwater conversion, chemical checks and filter sand changes.
The technicians at Pool Scouts of Chattanooga use the latest technology and treatment solutions and offer post service reports. Their technicians have undergone professional background checks and training. There are no contracts to sign.
National Water Safety Month started in June 2003, when the World Waterpark Association launched its National Water Safety Week. In May 2007, the National Recreation and Park Association decided, along with WWA, that a month-long water safety initiative in May would be best because it's when swimming activity increases across the country. That’s when National Water Safety Month was officially born.
St. Cin and her team are ready to get your pools up to par for the summer and give back to the community during National Water Safety Month. Give her office a call to set up an appointment.
Pool Scouts of Chattanooga
- Website: poolscouts.com/chattanooga/
- Office number: (423) 275-6864