Roxeanne Vainuku, Q13 FOX News

June 27, 2008, 9:44 PM PDT

AUBURN — Record breaking heat will have lots of folks heading to the water for relief, but there are new rules about pools everyone should know.

And we're not just talking about in ground pools--these rules affect even some of the shallow above ground pools you'd buy at a department store.  One family's tragic story highlights their importance.

The White family of Auburn loved their swimming pool.  It's where they gathered to celebrate Paris White's second birthday.  It would be her last.

Ten days later, Paris toddled out a back door after her older brother--and when no one was looking the precious little girl with the mop of blonde curls slipped below the water and drowned. "Living this life of somehow wishing I could go back is just miserable," says Deanna White, Paris' mother.

Out of her pain, Deanna White found purpose.  She's united with the King County Health Department and pool safety experts to share an important message.  "First and foremost, supervision. Secondly there's a myriad of barriers that can and should be around the pool," says Brian Quint, Owner of Aqua Quip Pools and Spas.

One of the most important--proper fencing.  Recent Washington state code says you need a four foot fence around your pool if it is 24 or more inches deep.  And that's any pool--even those above ground. "The hazards are there and you can't take anything for granted when it comes to a body of water," says Quint.

It's a message the White family understands all too well.  They've filled in their own pool--the constant reminder was just too painful.

So is reliving their tragic loss, but they're sharing their story because they say the message about pool safety is just that important. "Your child's life is so precious and it can just slip away so fast," says White.

Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children in our state.