Whether swimming for fun or sport, in an ocean, lake, or their own backyard, children love to swim. Having a swimming pool in your yard presents a danger for children. Water-related injury is a common cause of accidental injury/death among children and adults. It is essential to protect your children and those in your neighborhood from the dangers of a backyard pool. Following are pool safety tips that can safeguard you against such dangers.
- Never leave children in or near the pool unattended.
- Allow no distractions when children are in the pool. No phones, doorbells, conversations, etc.
- Do not use air-filled floating devices, they are not life vest approved and should NEVER be used as a substitution for supervision.
- Remove all toys from pool when not in use. Children may try to reach for pool toys and fall in.
- Pool area must be separated from the house by a fence. A pool open to the house area presents a danger to children who wander out with the parent unaware.
- Pool fence should be 5 feet high and totally enclose the pool area.
- Fence latch should be self-closing and set high on fence, out of child’s reach.
- Remove pool covers completely when pool is in use. If left partially on children can become entangled in them and drown.
- When pool use is done, secure the pool area so children can’t re-enter the pool.
- Teach children to swim. Classes are also helpful in teaching young children to swim.
- Post pool rules:
- No Running
- No Jumping
- No Pushing
- No Diving
- No Swimming Alone
- Enforce pool rules.
- Post-emergency numbers near pool area. Learn CPR.
NEVER SAY NEVER: Even with precautions taken a drowning or near drowning could happen to you. Be careful and be aware.
