It’s a well-known fact that a swimming pool in the backyard is every kid’s dream. Swimming pools can be a blast for the whole family, but unfortunately, they come with a few safety concerns. According to the CDC, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children aged 1-14. An average of 3,536 people in the United States die from drowning in swimming pools each year. And for every fatality, many more people are hospitalized for submersion-related injuries and may suffer from complications for the rest of their lives. You can prevent many accidents by simply following just a few pool safety guidelines.
Our goal isn’t to scare you into keeping your kids out of the pool, but rather to inform and encourage you to do what you can to prevent accidents from happening. By following these pool safety tips, you can help keep your family and guests safe in the water.
Supervision
One of the simplest and easiest pool safety methods to follow is to keep a watchful eye on your pool. Making sure your kids never swim without an adult present is an easy way to prevent accidents from happening. Here are some helpful pool safety supervision tips to help you protect your family:
- Make sure at least one adult is around at all times while the kids are swimming. If more than one adult is present, you can take turns being responsible for watching them.
- Remind your kids to look after each other and let you know if something seems wrong. Use the buddy system when there are a lot of kids in the pool at once.
- Keep the surrounding area of the pool free of tripping hazards like hoses, pool noodles, and other toys to prevent young children from falling in.
Learning to Swim
Knowing your kids are confident and capable swimmers can help ease your mind while they’re in the water. Of course, it’s still important to keep an eye on them in case something goes wrong. Teaching your kids how to swim or even better, enrolling them in swimming lessons with certified instructors can help keep them much safer in the pool. You can find a list of swim classes near you on the Red Cross website.
While your little ones are still learning to swim, giving them flotation devices that they can’t remove easily, such as life jackets, can keep them much safer in the water. Never rely on pool noodles or floating toys alone.
Pool Safety Rules
Keeping your family safe is a lot easier when everyone knows and follows certain pool safety rules. This list of suggestions is a great start, but feel free to add as many rules as you think you need to keep everyone safe in your pool.
- Never swim during a thunderstorm.
- Don’t swim or play near drains, pipes, or other possible places where hair or clothing could get trapped.
- Don’t run around the perimeter of the pool.
- Don’t dive into shallow water (it can be helpful to establish clear diving and no diving zones).
- Don’t dunk or hold anyone underwater.
Emergency Preparation
We know you don’t even want to think about the worst-case scenario, but being prepared for it may save a life. If anyone struggles or starts to drown in your pool, you’ll be thankful you’ve followed these pool safety guidelines:
- Items to have nearby: a phone, first aid kit, and scissors to cut hair or clothing loose from entrapment.
- Keep a life preserver or safety hook nearby to toss to a struggling swimmer.
- Install floating lines across the length of your pool. These can also be held onto by struggling swimmers until help arrives.
Pool Safety Equipment
Installing pool safety equipment can help prevent accidents from happening and keep your swimming pool much safer for your family and guests. Here are some ways you can secure your pool:
- Install a tall fence around your pool or yard with self-latching gates.
- If your house serves as the fourth wall around your pool, install alarms on any doors and windows facing the pool, so you always know when somebody goes near it.
- Make sure your drain covers are pool safety compliant and have anti-entrapment covers and a safety release system.
- Test your water often, and keep the chlorine level appropriate.
- Keep your pool clean and maintained. Remove any bacterial or fungal buildup, animals that may have fallen in, and other debris.
Keeping your family safe is essential, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. At Infinity Insurance, we do everything we can to help protect your family, so you’re able to find a little more peace of mind. Call one of our friendly agents at 1-800-INFINITY today to receive a home and auto insurance quote within minutes or get a free quote online.