Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) has an obligation to protect public pool swimmers. Here is information about public pool safety laws enacted by the Massachusetts state legislature.
Who is Responsible for Public Pools in Massachusetts?
The Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) is a Massachusetts state agency that is responsible for maintaining dozens of community swimming pools in many communities inside and outside the greater Boston area. Most of the Boston public swimming pools the MDC operate are open to the public from June to Labor Day.
There are few things more refreshing than taking a dip in the pool on a hot summer day. Boston public swimming pools attract thousands of people every summer. Most of these swimmers are children that have the summer off from school. While community pools are a great source of fun they are also a great source of danger.
According to Safe Kids Boston 27% of pool injuries sustained by children occur in community or public pools.
Is the City at Fault for Accidental Drowning in Public Pools?
When a child is injured in a community pool drowning accident, one of the most important things that needs to be done is to determine whether or not the city or state failed to take precautions to prevent the drowning accident. The MDC must follow certain laws to protect children and adults from possible public pool drowning accidents. Most public pool accidents are preventable. The following section explains some of the pool safety laws the MDC and other municipalities need to follow to prevent unnecessary pool drowning injuries.
Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) has an obligation to protect public pool swimmers. The following are some public pool safety laws the Massachusetts state legislature enacted.
- Every public outdoor inground swimming pool must be protected and enclosed by fence that is at-least 6 feet tall. The fence must be firmly secured to the ground so that people cannot get into the pool area by going underneath the fence. The fence must have a gate that is not be less than six feet above the ground. The gate must be self-latching with latches placed four feet above the ground or otherwise made inaccessible from the outside to children up to eight years of age;
- Public pools must have at least one life ring and a rescue hook;
- Every public outdoor inground swimming pool needs to be inspected annually by the city or town’s local building inspector;
- All pools that are maintained by The Metropolitan District Commission must have lifeguards that are over the age of 18. There should be at-least one lifeguard for every 25 swimmers;
- The water depth of every swimming pool needs to be clearly marked on the pool deck at the edge of the pool and on the vertical pool walls, at or above the water surface;
- A minimum of one ladder is needed for each 75 feet of swimming pool perimeter. Every pool needs at least two ladders regardless of size;
- Diving boards and platforms need to be covered with non-slip material;
- All public swimming pools when open need to be managed and supervised by someone that is 21 years or older and familiar with 105 CMR 435.00.
Public Swimming Pools Run by the MDC
The following is a list of some of the Boston community pools that are run by the MDC:
- Artesani Playground Wading Pool
1255 Soldiers Field Road, Brighton, Massachusetts - Reilly Memorial Deep Water Swimming Pool
355 Chestnut Hill Ave, Cleveland Circle, Brighton, Massachusetts - Olsen Swimming Pool
95 Turtle Pond Parkway, Hyde Park, Massachusetts - Cass Memorial Swimming Pool
Washington Street, Roxbury, Massachusetts - Lee Memorial Wading Pool
280 Charles St. on Esplanade, West End - Francis J. McCrehan Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool
359 Rindge Ave, Cambridge, Massachusetts - Veterans Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool
719 Memorial Dr., Cambridge, Massachusetts - Dilboy Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool
Alewife Brook Pkwy @ High Street, Somerville, Massachusetts - Latta Brothers Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool
20 McGrath Highway, Somerville, Massachusetts - Allied Veterans Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool
65 Elm Street, Everett, Massachusetts - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool
184 Carter Street, Chelsea, Massachusetts - Clarence W. Dealtry Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool
138 Pleasant St., Watertown, Massachusetts - Connors Swimming Pool
330 River St., Waltham, Massachusetts - John H. Thomas Memorial Swimming Pool
2460 Roosevelt Ave, on Blunt Park Rd., Springfield, Massachusetts - Raymond Lord Memorial Swimming Pool
81 Cross Street, Lowell, Massachusetts - Geisler Memorial Swimming Pool
50 High Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lt. Colonel Edward J. Higgins Swimming Pool
180 Crawford Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool & Spray Deck
399 Eastern Ave, Rte. 6, Fall River, Massachusetts - Sara Jane Sherman Memorial Swimming Pool
750 Meadow St., Chicopee, Massachusetts - George I. Spatcher Memorial Pool
79 North Ave., Attleboro, Massachusetts - Manning Pool
470 Forest Ave, Brockton, Massachusetts - L.t. Dennis C. Holland Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool
108 Mountain Ave, Malden, Massachusetts - Lawrence W. Lloyd Memorial Swimming Pool
49 Tremont St., Melrose, Massachusetts - Sen. P. Eugene Casey Memorial Swimming Pool
49 Prospect St., Milford, Massachusetts - Bennett Field Swimming Pool
1260 Main St., Worcester, Massachusetts - Dennis F. Shine Memorial Swimming Pool
87 Providence Highway, Worcester, Massachusetts
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Our wrongful death and accidental pool drowning lawyers assist fatal accident victims’ families throughout all of Massachusetts including but not limited to Plymouth County, Brockton, Plymouth, Bridgewater, Marshfield, Hingham, Duxbury, Wareham, Abington, Rockland, Whitman, Hanson, Holbrook, Middleborough; Norfolk County including Quincy, Stoughton, Dedham, Weymouth, Braintree, Avon, Holbrook, Randolph, Canton, Sharon, Brookline, Franklin; Bristol County including New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Westport, Dartmouth, Mansfield, Easton, Raynham, Lakeville, Norton; Cape Cod, Hyannis, Falmouth, Barnstable and the Greater Boston area including Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn, Revere, Dorchester, Roxbury.
