I know it seems really far off, but summer is right around the corner. For me here in Indiana, with another snow storm on its way, it can’t come soon enough. I know that I have written about pool safety before but it is something that is extremely important. Too many people lose their lives before their time is up. In this post I will highlight some of the things that you can do to make sure that you and your loved ones have a safe and fun summer around the pool. When many people think about pool safety, they think that because they and their family know how to swim that they are fine and do not need to take any extra precautions. I am a firm believer that knowing how to swim is one of the most important parts of pool safety. Unfortunately, it’s not good enough in many cases. As pool owners, we need to take extra steps in an effort to keep our pool environments safe for everyone, and there are some basic precaustions that can be done to help keep your pool safe for everyone.
Teach your children how to swim. This is the first step you can take to ensure that your children are safe in the pool. While the ability to swim is important, when around water it is not always enough. If you have children around the pool, it is very important to keep an eye on them.
Watch your children. When children are swimming it is important to designate an adult to supervise. Furthermore, supervision should be the only thing on that adults mind. No social media, texting, or talking on the phone. The supervising adult should be free from distraction. That adult must also be prepared.
Put together an emergency pool safety kit. This kit should be kept near the pool anytime someone is swimming. The following are some items that should be included in your pool safety kit.
1. First aid kit
2. Pair of scissors (for cutting hair, a pool cover or clothing that may become caught on something under water.)
3. A charged telephone for calling 911 in the case of an emergency.
4. A flotation device.
These are just some items that may help in the event of an emergency. In addition to that, the supervising adult should make sure that children stay away from anything that could cause them to become trapped. This includes drains, ladders, pipes, and any openings. You can also share your knowledge and safety instructions with family, friends and neighbors. Learning CPR, and staying up-to-date with it, is another preemptive action you can take to ensure safety. In an emergency, seconds count and knowing what to do will greatly improve the odds.
There are additional precautions that you can prepare with to help keep your loved ones safe around the pool. They include installing a fence, or an alarm system, having a safety cover, refraining from drinking around the pool, and several others. For more information regarding pool safety please see my other related blog posts or visit poolsafely.gov for up-to-date information regarding swimming pool safety. There you can also see information on recalled pool and spa products as well as read stories that people have shared. These are just some ways to improve the safety around your swimming pool. Feel free to read my other blog posts and stay tuned for future posts as I strive toward posting once a day.
