By Kevin Aldridge
and David Eck
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Lifeguard Fred Jenkins, 16, of Evanston, watches a child goes into the pool slide Tuesday at the Otto Armleder Pool in Over-the-Rhine. Seven Cincinnati city pools opened Monday and 34 others are expected to open by the end of the week. Between 150,000 and 200,000 people visit city pools every year. Photos by MICHAEL SNYDER/The Cincinnati Enquirer

As the summer gets into full splash, thousands of people will be flocking to pools, lakes and rivers around the Tristate for recreation.

But police and recreation officials warn that a refreshing dip on a hot day can turn deadly when people trespass at public pools after hours, swim in unsanctioned areas with no lifeguards or leave their kids alone in or near water.

Greater Cincinnati has seen four drowning deaths in the past six weeks.

Officials said Tuesday that all probably could have been prevented if the people involved had followed some simple water-safety rules.

"Always swim when lifeguards are on duty and when pools are open," said Jincey Yemaya, aquatics director for the Cincinnati Recreation Commission. "And parents need to supervise their children at all times around water."

SAFETY TIPS

• Learn to swim; it's the best thing anyone can do to stay safe. The American Red Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and swimming ability. To enroll in a swim course, contact your local Red Cross chapter. • Always swim with a buddy; never swim alone. • Swim in supervised areas. • Obey all rules and posted signs. • Watch out for the "dangerous toos" - too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much strenuous activity. • Don't mix alcohol and swimming. Alcohol impairs judgment and reduces your body's ability to stay warm. • Pay attention to weather conditions and forecasts. Stop swimming at the first indication of bad weather. • Know how to prevent, recognize and respond to emergencies. Source: The American Red Cross

Tuesday, divers continued to search for the body of Russell O. Scott II, of Union Township. Scott apparently drowned Monday while swimming in an isolated lake behind the Harbor Cove apartments in Union Township.

A group of juveniles with Scott, but who did not enter the water, saw him disappear, authorities said. Several "No Trespassing" signs are posted at the lake, which is an old quarry.

"Here's a case where somebody's swimming in a place that's obviously not designed for that," said Union Township Fire Chief Stan Deimling. "It's a place he shouldn't have been."

The body of a 26-year-old Carlisle man who disappeared while swimming in Rocky Fork Lake was recovered Thursday in Highland County after an 11-day search. Danny Yeary had jumped off a boat in the east end of the lake to go swimming when he went under and never resurfaced.

In April, a 3-year-old Union Township boy drowned after he climbed out of a first-floor window and wandered into an apartment swimming pool. His 22-year-old mother, Tiffany Brewster, was charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of child endangering because she was asleep when her son wandered off.

Victor Woodward, 17, of Winton Terrace, drowned Friday night while trying to swim after hours at the Winton Hills Recreation Center on Winneste Avenue.Police are still investigating what led up to the teen's death.

The deaths are a concern for Cincinnati recreation officials, who opened seven municipal pools Monday and expects to open 34 others by the end of the week. Between 150,000 and 200,000 people visit city pools every year.

"Our main concern is safety," Yemaya said. "We don't want to lose another young person if we can prevent it."

Drowning is the second-leading cause of death for children younger than 14 in Greater Cincinnati, Yemaya said.

Children's Hospital Medical Center deals with an average of 20-30 drownings or near-drownings each year, spokeswoman Amy Caruso said.

"The hotter it is, the higher the number," Caruso said.

The last previous drowning death at a Cincinnati Recreation Commission pool happened in 2000 and also involved a 17-year-old boy at the same Winton Hills pool; he climbed a 6-foot fence after the pool had closed. Before that, there hadn't been a death since 1994.

Yemaya said she couldn't recall the last time a death occurred with a lifeguard on duty.

CRC continues to have problems with juveniles trespassing at public pools, Yemaya said.

Some juveniles are going over or cutting through fences to get in, she said.

The recreation commission has two people working seven nights a week patrolling pools and repairing fences. The commission has also enacted its Neighborhood Pool Watch program, which asks residents to alert police of after-hours swimming and other safety hazards at pools in their neighborhoods.

"The more eyes and ears we have to help us, the more prevention we can do," Yemaya said.

"We're all about a fun,safe time," Yemaya said.

For more information on Neighborhood Pool Watch, call (513) 357-POOL.

E-mail kaldridge@enquirer.com