With summer kicking into full-swing, backyard pools will be the ‘hot' hit for the next couple of months.
With about 260 children under the age of 5 drowning each year, pool owners need to take safety precautions. One method of protection isn't enough when you've got smart, dare-devil kids around. Most importantly, 100% supervision is the key to keeping your back yard pool a safe haven for children. Even though you may keep a close eye on kids at the pool, you may not be close enough to them to save them from a potential accident. Having a protective barrier around the edges of the pool will also deter such traumatic events from happening. Don't forget that automatic safety pool cover that secures over the top of the water and is sturdy enough to withstand a child's weight.
Keep in mind that barriers around the immediate area of the pool are designated to protect your children and guests, but what about those neighborhood kids that might see a pool and make a B-line for the water??? In most cases, it is regulated to have a fence around back yard swimming pools, but what kind of fence is appropriate? It is recommended that a wooden fence of at least 4 feet in height and without footholds to prevent climbing should be installed. Also, it's important to remember that if the fence has any gaps between the vertical members, they should not be wide enough to allow children to squeeze through. The gate on such a fence should be self-closing and self-latching, with the latch being high enough to be out of the reach of small children. It is important that if you plan on leaving the house for a given period of time, put a lock on that latch so nobody can enter your backyard while you aren't there to supervise.
A final method of security is to get a pool sensor that will go off if it recognizes a disturbance in the water, such as a child falling in. Two types of sensors are made, one to monitor surface waves and another to monitor subsurface disturbances. The most effective are the subsurface monitors, as they do not have as many false alarms due to weather, etc. These can also work with a pool cover, whereas the surface wave sensor cannot.
The summertime is often the most-anticipated time of the year for children and they often proceed without any caution. Even though the pool tragedies are few and far between, even just one drowning is too many.
Have a fun and SAFE summer!
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