Gary Thill
Gary Thill is the former editor of Aquatics International, an award-winning magazine for the commercial pool and waterpark markets. He is a nationally recognized writer and editor with an extensive communications background that includes print, online and social media.
Gary Thill's Latest Posts
Beach time? Make sure the water won’t make you sick
It’s summer, and for millions of Americans, that means beach parties and swimming. In fact, we make almost 2 billion trips to the beach every year! You might think natural bodies of water are safe from waterborne illnesses. But while the water at your local beach may look inviting, there’s a 1 in 10 chance […]
What parents need to know about infant swimming
When is the right time to teach kids to learn to swim? This question has vexed parents, swimming advocates and doctors for years. And it’s more than just academic: Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children under age 4. Everyone agrees, one of the best protections against their drowning is learning […]
Secondary drowning: essential facts
In early June, Lindsay Kujawa went through every parent’s worst nightmare. With her back turned for just a second, her nearly 2-year-old son, Ronin, fell into a nearby spa, she wrote in her blog. Fortunately, she was close enough to quickly pluck him from danger. But the nightmare wasn’t over. Later that evening, she noticed […]
4 common hot tub safety risks
The tragic death of four-year-old Cameron Nunez — who drowned after his arm became entrapped in his grandparents’ hot tub — is a good time to stop and think about spa safety. While much attention is focused on swimming pools when it comes to water safety, hot tubs, or spas, can be just as dangerous. […]
4 common pool chemical mistakes (and how to avoid them)
When it comes to swimming pools, drowning isn’t the only danger. Something much less understood but just as deadly — chemicals used to maintain water quality — can also cause serious injuries or even death when not handled or stored properly. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that nearly […]
Nonswimmers becoming health crisis in U.S. and U.K.
The news out of Britain is ominous for an island nation: More than 50 percent of children age 7 to 11 can’t swim 25 meters, according to a new study. This in a country where swimming is actually a required skill for graduation! In America, lack of swimming skills is becoming a serious problem as […]
Want to reduce high minority drowning rates? Ensure pool access
Anyone who thinks prejudice isn’t a serious issue in the United States should read a recent news story from Minneapolis. The story details one African American woman’s efforts to get a swimming pool built in her neighborhood. Tragically, the day after the pool was finally approved, a young black man drowned nearby. Sad as that […]
Installing a pool: 7 hot design trends
You’ve decided what kind of pool to build, and who should build it. Now you just need to settle on how customized you want your pool to be. That brings us to part 3 in our series on pool installation. The great thing about inground pools, especially concrete ones, is that they can be custom […]
Installing a pool: 7 steps to hiring the right builder
In part 1 of this series on installing a new pool, we looked at the different types of pools. Once you’ve decided that, you have to make what’s probably the most important decision of pool installation: Who’s going to build it? Having an educated answer to that question can be the difference between enjoying your […]
Installing a pool: What kind of pool is right for me?
Ah, spring! That time of the year when people’s fancies turn to… swimming pools. That’s especially true if you live in the increasingly scorching sunbelt, where every year, you listen enviously to the shouts and giggles of your splashing pool-owning neighbors. Is this the year you finally get a pool of your own? In the […]
