Every parent should be aware of the risks associated with having children and owning a swimming pool. It’s also equally important to know the steps you can take to minimize these dangers and keep your children safe from the pool in your backyard. For children under the age of 15, drowning is the second leading cause of death. To help prevent these risks, there are a number of things that can be done.
The first step in promoting child safety near a swimming pool is to make sure you can swim, and make sure your children know how to swim. Children can learn swimming at a very early age, so it’s never too soon. You can find classes for children at your local YMCA and community centers. Adults supervising children in and around a swimming pool should make sure CPR is known and practiced on a regular basis.
If possible, it’s a good idea to install a fence around the perimeter of the swimming pool, with the only access being a locked gate. This is something that can virtually eliminate the risks of drowning as long as you are committed to properly keeping the entry gate locked unless you are fully supervising swimmers under the age of 15. It’s not a good idea to let a 13 year old, or even 16 year old be the responsible one for younger children. After all, they are still children themselves.
If a fence is not possible, there are power safety covers that can cover the entire top of the swimming pool and be a valuable part of safe proofing. You can find motorized and manual covers, so there are choices when considering this option. The cover isn’t as fool proof as a fence would be, but it would significantly help stop children from falling in and becoming another victim of an accidental drowning. The biggest foreseen problem would be very young children thinking they can run across the cover, so parent supervision will still be necessary.
Make sure you have rescue equipment available, such as life preservers and a rope. If someone does fall in, these tools have been proven to save lives and will continue to do so. For younger kids, having them wear a life vest at all times when playing near a pool is a good idea. Remember, flotation devices such as air filled toys and balls are not meant to be a life saving device. The “water wings” that are popular for children learning to swim are not meant to save lives either.
Make sure that all pool toys are taken out of the pool to prevent the little ones from being tempted to reach for them. Always remember, just because you can swim, and your child knows how to swim does not mean they are safe around water. Make sure you and your family is safe; take the steps necessary to prevent accidental deaths in swimming pools.
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