Make sure your backyard pool is a safe place for fun

DEM Blogger

May 16, 2019

Going swimming is a great way to cool off when summer rolls around and the temperature warms up.  Many people have pools in their backyard, but with every new pool installation, there is an increased risk of injury, and even death.  Every day, about ten people die from unintentional drowning, and drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States according to the CDC.  Here are some tips to help your family is better prepared to prevent drowning incidents at your home’s swimming pool.

• Actively supervise children. A designated adult should ALWAYS be watching children.
• When watching children, set rules to govern their behavior. Limit horseplay, running around the pool area and diving into shallow waters.
• Do a regular head-count when watching children at the pool.
• Do not use the phone while watching children at the pool.
• Build a pool fence surrounding your entire pool. The fence should be at least four feet high and impossible to climb. The fence should also be self-closing, self-latching and have a latch-release knob out of reach of children.
• Keep pools and spas covered.
• Remove ladders from above ground pools when they are not in use.
• Install backdoor, gate and pool alarms.
• Use safety drain covers.
• Avoid drains, skimmers, pipes and other equipment.
• Take swimming lessons as a family and learn CPR.
• Use life jackets.

Use these tips to help make your home swimming pool safer.  If you need more information on swimming pool safety, visit the following sites:

https://www.poolsafely.gov/

https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/water-safety/waterinjuries-factsheet.html