Helpful Tips to maintaining pool safety for
kids
(from the
American Academy of Pediatrics)
- 1st Rule of Pool Safety, never leave your
kids alone whether they are in or around the pool.
- You must put up a fence to separate your
house from the pool for better pool safety. Many children who drown in pools
were able to wander
out of the house unnoticed and fall into the pool. For higher pool
safety, put a fence at least 4
feet high surrounding your entire swimming pool. This mesh pool fence
must separate entirely the pool from the house and play area of the yard. Use
pool safety gates that are self-closing and self-latching, with latches
higher than your children can reach.
- A power safety cover that meets the
standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
adds to the protection of your children
but should not be used in place of the fence between your
house and the pool.
ACCORDING TO THE United StatesConsumer Product
Safety Commission BEWARE! THERE IS
CURRENTLY NO
SCIENTIFIC PROOF THAT POOL COVERS PREVENT CHILDREN FROM DROWNING .
- Keep rescue equipment such as life
preserver and a telephone by the pool.
- Do not trust your child's pool safety with air-filled
swimming aids as they are not a substitute for real life vests
and may be dangerous if depended on.
- Anyone watching young children around a
pool should learn CPR and be able to rescue a child, if needed. Stay
within an arm's length of your child.
- All toys
should be removed from the pool after use. Toys, in the pool, are a
temptation to children. After the children are done
swimming,
lock the pool gate so they can't get back in to the pool area.
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Remember, teaching your child how to swim DOES NOT MEAN your child is
safe in water.
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Common sense and pool safety fencing is the best way to protect
your children.
If you have a house with a swimming pool, supervision
is the No. 1 way to keep your children safe from injury or drowning. Supervision by itself is
won't be enough to ensure pool safety.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, of all the swimming
pool accidents involving small children, 77% of the victims had been
seen by a parent/guardian within the past five minutes. Almost 80% of
swimming pool accidents occurred when both parents were at home and
watching the child!
Experts at the National Spa & Pool Institute, the Consumer Product
Safety Commission and the American Academy of Pediatrics agree that pool
safety barriers are always necessary. The pool safety fence should be a minimum of
4 feet high with a self-closing, self-latching pool gate. All Guardian
pool safety fence systems meet these standards.
Pool Safety Checklist
Here is a guide for parents of children under 5. Common
sense is the key to all of these pool safety
recommendations.
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Doors leading to the pool should be kept locked and
alarmed if possible. |
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Install a pool safety barrier around the entire pool, so that
the only reason to go through that barrier is to use the pool.
This should be a requirement for all parents with small children. If this
isn't possible, make sure your safety barrier prevents access
from ALL doors, gates and windows leading into the pool area.
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Never forget that
a child will always try to get around your pool safety system.
Why?
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1. A child does not know
right from wrong.
2. All children are attracted to the water/pool.
3. A child does not know or understand fear.
4. You can't trust a child's judgement. |
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If a child can't be found, immediately
check the pool first. Time is critical! |
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During parties, make sure a child
watcher is chosen for pool safety. Adults easily become
distracted when
socializing and often think someone else is watching the kids.
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Never consider
youngsters "water safe" because they've had swimming lessons.
There are no water-safe children. |
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No one should ever swim alone. Teach your
children to use the buddy system. Since children learn by
example, parents should follow these pool safety tips too.
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Learn CPR. Anyone responsible for children, such as babysitters,
should know CPR. Because of the time it takes for paramedics to
arrive, your CPR skills can make a
difference in someone's life. |
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Radios, CD players and ALL other electrical equipment should be
kept away from the pool area. |
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Toys
and games should not be stored or left near the pool. The lure
of toys near the pool is much too inviting for children.
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Keep
a phone and rescue equipment handy in the pool area. Make sure
they work. |
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No
drugs or alcohol when you plan to use the pool.
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Never ever dive into the shallow end. |
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Stay
away from the swimming pool during thunder and lightning storms.
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Supervise
your children at all times and install a Guardian removable pool safety fence
around your swimming pool for maximum security.
This pool safety guide is happily provided by Guardian
Pool Fence Systems Inc.
Please feel free to share this with your family, friends, and neighbors!
Read more about
child drowning prevention
Pool Safety commission tips
CDC: water injury facts
Safe Kids pool safety tips
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