Child Pool Safety – 16 Tips for Keeping Your Children Safe around Pools
While swimming pools provide a great deal of fun and entertainment for families, friends and social gatherings, one must always remember that without the proper safety precautions in place, pools are also a safety hazard, especially for infants and children under the age of five.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that each year, 350 children under five years of age drown in swimming pools, with many of these instances occurring in residential pools. Additionally, an estimated 2,600 children under the age of five are treated each year in hospital emergency rooms due to submersion-related injuries. Sadly, these submersion incidents sometimes result in permanent brain damage and death. Drowning is a leading cause of death in children under five, and certain precautionary steps should be taken in order to avoid submersion accidents and to improve the level of safety in the home.
There is no substitute for adequate supervision when child safety is of concern, and supervision combined with other important layers of protection, such as pool covers, barriers, fences, and pool alarms, ensure that all bases are covered and that your child remains safe from submersion incidents and possible drowning.
Pool Safety Precautions and Drowning Prevention Tips
1. Never leave a child unsupervised in or near a pool for any reason. Even the few moments it takes to answer a phone call, or to answer a door bell is ample time for accidents and drowning to occur. Keep in mind that child drowning is quick and silent. There is no splashing to warn you of the danger your child is in. If you must leave the pool area, take your child with you, and be sure to check that the gate to the pool has been securely latched on your way out.
2. Do not rely solely on flotation devices such as inflatable arm bands and inner tubes to prevent drowning.
3. One of the best ways to ensure child safety around pools is to install a safety pool cover that completely envelops your pool, and locks into place. Safety pool covers can be used when the pool is not being occupied for a maximum level of safety. Be sure to remove the cover completely before use, to prevent a child from drowning under the cover.
4. During the winter season, keep your pool covered with a winter pool cover either made of finely woven mesh or one that has a drain in the center, which allows for rain water to sift through. Remember that drowning can occur in only inches of water.
5. During social gatherings appoint an adult as a designated pool monitor to protect young children from accidents. This precaution is essential as when adults become preoccupied, children are most at risk. Seeing adults participate in good safety behavior is a good example to set for young children.
6. Install fences or barriers around the perimeter of your pool. Fences should be at least 4 feet tall, and should be self-closing and self-latching. Latches should be out of reach of young children. Maintain these fences, with close attention paid to the gates, as gates that have not been properly maintained often do not always close properly. Be sure to keep large objects such as tables, chairs, ladders, and tricycles away from pool fences. These would allow a youngster access to the pool by climbing over the fence.
7. If your pool, spa, or hot tub is indoors, lock the door to the room to keep out children and unauthorized swimmers.
8. Install alarms on doors leading to the pool, especially if one side of your house forms the barrier to the pool. Alarms can be installed on doors leading to the pool to detect when they have been opened unexpectedly.
9. Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and be sure that other guardians, such as babysitters and grandparents know it as well. CPR can be a lifesaver in an emergency (for the nearest CPR class, contact your local Fire Department, Red Cross, or hospital).
10. Regarding above ground pools, ladders and steps should be secured and locked to the side of the pool during pool use, and removed and stored when the pool is not in use.
11. Do not allow a young child in a pool without the supervision of an adult. Young children should never be considered water safe despite their swimming ability or past experience.
12. Don’t leave toys in or around a pool. Toys will entice children into the pool area.
13. Never swim during a storm or if you see lightening, or hear thunder.
14. Be sure to keep a phone and emergency numbers near the pool and store rescue equipment near the pool.
15. Establish and maintain poolside rules such as no running, no pushing, no rough-housing, no dunking, and no diving.
16. If your child goes missing, always check the pool first, as every second counts in preventing brain damage or death when pool accidents occur.
As always, preventing an emergency is the best precaution. Remember that child drowning can occur in as little as a few seconds. Share these tips with family and friends to keep water play safe and fun.
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