A coroner has called for a public awareness campaign about the requirement for portable pools to be fenced following the drowning of an 18-month-old boy in Hobart.
Kobie Ryder Blackaby died in February 2014 after falling into an inflatable pool that had less than 50 centimetres of water in it.
His father, Timothy Blackaby, found him floating in the water and despite performing CPR with the help of friends and neighbours was unable to revive him.
It is thought the little boy got out of the house while other older children were opening the front door.
The pool the baby boy was found in was not inflated fully.
Coroner Olivia McTaggart said it was likely the boy leaned against the side of the pool, which then collapsed, allowing him to fall in.
Once inside the pool, the inflatable rings would have returned to their normal position, trapping him.
Ms McTaggart said the death may have been prevented if the pool had been fenced in.
She has recommended that responsible state and local government bodies incorporate into existing water safety strategies a public education campaign to highlight the requirement to fence portable and inflatable pools.
The coroner also noted there appeared to have been a rise in the number of inflatable backyard pools in Tasmania following the introduction of cheaper and smaller options into the market.
She has recommended relevant authorities monitor any increase, and develop and implement water safety strategies for them.
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