A backyard pool is a great place for your family to hang out and take a break from the heat. Summer is just around the corner and backyard pool season is about to be in full swing.
Even though, backyard pools are fun, they are a safety hazard for children. Life-threatening dangers can turn deadly in an instant if the proper safety precautions are not taken ahead of time. Each year hundreds of accidents occur in backyard swimming pools, and some of them are deadly.
Every pool owner is responsible for making sure that their pool is as safe as possible for everyone that enters their backyard.
Follow our safety tips below to ensure you have a safe backyard pool.
Install A Fence
It is essential to have a fence around your swimming pool. Having a fence around your pool will prevent anyone from swimming in it that isn’t supposed to. Make sure that the fence is at least 42 inches high and has a self-closing and latching gate. This will ensure that the gate is never left open.
The latch should be high enough so that it is not reachable by small children. It is also important to make sure that children cannot climb the pool fence.
Studies have shown that a barrier separating a pool from the home reduces a child’s risk of drowning by 83%.
Completely Remove The Pool Cover
Pool covers can be extremely dangerous. If a pool cover is not removed from the pool all the way, a child can get stuck underneath it and will be unable to breathe. If you are using a pool cover, make sure to completely remove it from the pool when it’s time to go swimming. It is equally important to make sure everyone is out of the pool before you put the cover back on.
Keep Away From Drain Filtration
In California, pools must have an anti-vortex cover on all pool drains. However, just because it is mandatory does not mean that all pools will have them- especially older pools.
Since it is always better to be cautious, make sure you inform your children to keep their hands and hair away from the drains in the pool. A child's finger or hair can get sucked into a drain without an anti-vortex cover.
Be Vigilant and Informed
It is important that one adult is always in charge of watching children in the pool. If you are in charge of supervising the children, make sure that you do not get distracted. Your only focus should be on keeping the children in the pool safe.
If you have a pool in your backyard, you should also know how to perform CPR and First Aid in case an emergency does occur. It is important to be prepared for an emergency.
Drowning is preventable, and it is your duty to make sure that your family and loved ones stay safe around the water. Taking these necessary precautions for your backyard pool will help ensure that your loved ones are safe.
If you are interested in learning CPR and First Aid, Premier hosts certification classes every Wednesday and Saturday. You can register for a class here.