515.31  Drowning prevention education program; public information publication

Swimming pools are a great fun for a family but can be extremely dangerous at times, especially for the children. However, it is recommended that do not install a swimming pool in your house until your child is 5 years old, if you already have a pool in your yard, here are some safety tips that you should follow to protect them from drowning:

* Never leave the children alone near or in the pool, even for a minute

* An adult should always be available at an arm’s length from the child

* It is wise to put up fence that separates the house from the swimming pool area. Most of the young children drowning in a pool wander out from the house and end up falling into it. The fence should be at least 4 feet high and should be around all the four sides of the pool. This fence should completely separate the house and the play area from the pool

* Use gates which not only self-close but also self-latch, and the latch should be higher than the children’s reach

* Keep rescue equipments, such as shepherd’s hook and life preservers by the pool side and also a telephone that can be used in case of an emergency

* Air filled swimming aids should not be used as substitutes for approved vests

* It is better to remove all the toys from the swimming pool after use so that the children do not get tempted to reach out for them

* After your children have played in the pool, make sure to secure it so that they do not get back into it without your notice

* Power safety covers can also be used to add protection to your children but it should not be considered as a substitute for the fence between the pool and the house

Teaching swimming to the children is the first and most important step towards children’s safety in the swimming pools but this does not mean that you can let your children swim freely in the pool. Taking care of all these safety measures will keep your children safe in the water and avoid any unnecessary complications.

Swimming Pool Safety – Views Of A Pool Contractor – If you have a pool in your backyard, chances are your pool will be a magnet for summer entertaining. Nevertheless, having a pool comes with the responsibility of making sure that it is used safely and that there are no accidents involving the pool. Swimming pool safety is essential for enjoying your pool. What can you do to ensure that your swimming pool is safe?

Make sure access to your swimming pool is restricted when there is no available supervision. You should have a fence around your pool with a gate that locks. In addition, your home should have a sensor that indicates when a door is opened so you will be alerted when a door leading to the pool is opened. Take precautions to ensure that children cannot access the pool by removing ladders when an above-ground pool is not in use or putting safety locks on doors in your home leading to your backyard in-ground pool. You should also take care to make sure that pets cannot access the pool. Make sure that pets do not have unsupervised access to the pool since they may make it unsanitary.

Educate your family and friends about swimming pool safety and post pool rules in your backyard. Reinforce that there should be no running or eating around the pool. Food in the pool attracts insects and running around a wet pool can result in slipping thereby causing an injury.

Make sure that any guests invited to the pool can swim. Ask parents whether invited children can swim and, if not, choose to have them on a day when you will not be using the pool. Additionally, do not leave guests or young children alone at the pool. If you are having a child for the first time, consider inviting the parent to enjoy the pool as well.

Safe swimming pools are clean. Keeping the pool clean minimizes germs and makes it less likely that people will get sick from swimming in your pool. Keep tools to clean the pool yourself or have a pool specialist come regularly.

Keep necessary safety and rescue equipment near the pool. At minimum, this can include a flotation ring, a first aid kit, and a telephone. In addition, family members should be trained in CPR and refresher classes should be taken regularly.

Make sure that you keep all pool chemicals that are not in use locked. Chemicals can be dangerous so it is important to keep them out of reach.

To ensure safe swimming pools, maintain your pool correctly and have it inspected for any possible dangers that may not be visually apparent. Heat, drainage, and the pump should be inspected regularly and appropriate repairs should be made as needed. Be certain to inspect the drain to make sure it is not damaged. Swimmers can be trapped against a drain so it is important to avoid swimming in a pool with a broken drain. Make sure that everyone knows where the cut off switch is located for the drain so that it can easily be turned off if someone becomes trapped against the drain.

While swimming pools can be great fun, they also require responsibility. You will enjoy your pool even more if you have peace of mind that comes with following some basic rules for swimming pool safety.

If you have young children and are considering purchasing a home with a swimming pool, many resources exist to help keep your children safe. The most obvious measure you can take is signing your kids up for swimming lessons. Consult your pediatrician regarding the best age to do this. Some will advise you to have your children learn as early as six months old. Other doctors feel it is better to wait until they are at least two years old. Ask your child’s doctor about the pros and cons of each approach. You can find swimming instructors at health clubs, or you may want to check your local listings for a private instructor to teach your child at home.

Another service available at health clubs and community centers is CPR instruction. Every adult and teenager in a home with a swimming pool should learn CPR. Although you can equip your home with a variety of other swimming pool safety measures, accidents may still happen. When properly performed, CPR can mean the difference between life and death should a non-swimmer fall into the pool.

You can do many things to prevent accidents from happening in the first place. Safe swimming pools are equipped with at least one easily accessible floatation device. This can be a life preserver, inflatable raft, foam “noodle,” or other buoyant item that is easy to grab onto. Beach balls are hard to hold when wet and will not serve as life saving devices in an emergency, so be sure you have something more stable on hand. You should also check that your floatation device is always inflated.

Another way to ensure swimming pool safety is to install a privacy fence. Fences should be at least six feet tall and made of materials difficult to climb. Chain link fences should not be used. Make sure gates are locked whenever not in use.

If you have a baby or toddler, you may install child proof fencing directly into your pool deck around the perimeter of your pool. These fences are made of plastic or mesh that won’t obscure your view of the pool and still keep little ones from accessing it through the house.

Remember, no safety equipment or training can substitute for proper supervision. Always watch children at the pool. Many accidents can be prevented by the presence of an adult who enforces safe behavior. This way, you can relax and enjoy your swimming pool along with the young swimmers in your life.