7 Easy Tips for Pool Safety

It’s no secret that children love to play in the water. For a lot of kids, a day at the pool is not long enough. Even though they may take like a fish though, swimming pools can be a dangerous place for kids and adults alike. If you are considering purchasing a swimming pool to put in your yard, consider the following tips from swimjim.com:

1. Wait until your children are old enough – while you might think they understand the danger, make sure you don’t install a pool until they are at least five years old. Accidents happen, and you want to eliminate as many risk factors as possible. If your children are under five and you have a pool, practice touch supervision (where they must be within your reach at all times)
2. Supervise – Don’t leave your children alone for a minute, even to grab something from the kitchen. If your children are by the pool, you need to be there too.
3. Become certified in CPR – It is always better safe than sorry.
4. Put a fence around your pool – For almost all accidents pool related, children simply wander away from the house and fall into the pool. Make sure the area of your yard that is used for play is completely separate from the pool. Have the fence be at least four feet high so that young children cannot easily climb over it, and make sure the latch is high.
5. Have the right equipment – Each pool should be supplied with a nearby life preserver and shepherd’s hook within easy reach. Install a phone line by the pool.
6. Use life vests for children who cannot swim – Some parents think that other “floatie” devises work just as well, such as an inflatable tube, but these toys are easily tipped and can create a barrier to your children’s safety rather than a protection.
7. Clean the pool of toys after using it – When there are toys left in the pool, many children will try to reach for them even though they are not wearing the proper clothing or safety measures. After using the pool, secure it so that the children cannot get back in.

[box type=”important”]Even if your child knows how to swim, they can still be at risk for drowning. Never let down your guard and think that your children are safe. Let them have fun, but make sure that safety is always your top concern.[/box]