Owning a swimming pool is a great way to increase your home’s value and to enjoy the enrichment of outdoor activities without leaving the house. However, if you own a swimming pool you have a responsibility to upkeep the highest measure of safety to protect children, animals, or inexperienced swimmers. According to the American Red Cross, about 200 children tragically drown in swimming pools every single year. Here are few tips for keep your pool area safe:
- Maintain your pool safety gates and swimming pool fencing. Install child guard pool fences surrounding your entire pool area. The fence should be at least 4 feet tall, so that it’s too high for a small child to climb over. It should have a gap that is smaller than 4 inches between the bottom of the fence and the ground, so that no children or animals can crawl under. Any pool safety gates should be self-closing and self-latching to ensure it won’t accidentally be left ajar. Ideally, your pool safety gates should have an alarm that sounds anytime someone enters the pool area.
It’s also a good idea to use a pool cover. Not only does it reduce evaporation and heating costs, it helps protect children from slipping in.
- Never take your eyes off children in the pool area. Even the most sophisticated pool safety equipment is not entirely foolproof. It is essential that any time you have children on your property, you have an eye on them. Your eyes are the best way to ensure that everyone stays safe in and around the pool.
- Teach your children to swim. Enroll your kids in swim lessons with a certified swim instructor as soon as it is age appropriate. If a child or inexperienced swimmer is visiting, it’s a good idea to ask them to wear a flotation device or life jacket, to ensure their safety. It is also important that every member in your household understands and follows proper pool safety protocol.
- Pay attention the chemical levels Clean your pool regularly, so that the water is clear and clean of debris. Monitor the chemical levels as recommended by your pump and filter’s manufacturer, to avoid contamination that could make a swimmer ill.
- Establish pool safety rules. To ensure all swimmers stay safe, create a list of pool rules and be firm about enforcing them. A few good swimming pool rules that owners implement include:
- Never swim alone.
- No diving (unless your pool has an appropriate depth level.)
- No running in the pool area
- Do not play near drain covers.
- Make sure that everyone in your home understands emergency protocol.
Your pool should be equipped with proper rescue equipment such as a foam ring and large hook. If possible, keep a phone handy in the pool area so that emergency services can be contacted immediately if needed. It’s important that any adults in your household are CPR certified and can administer first-aid care if an issue arises.
Do you own a pool? What pool safety measures do you put in place to protect the children in your home? If you follow any safety measures that we didn’t include on the list, please let us know in the comment section below. More like this blog.
