Immersing yourself in a pool can be so therapeutic. That sure explains one of the many reasons why people love to have pools in their backyards. However, it may interest you to know that a few hundreds of kids less than five years of age drown in backyard pools every year. It has been said to be the top cause of death for kids at that age.
Kids love to move around, play and are easily fascinated by the things they see. This explains why they would be drawn to a backyard pool in the first place. Not just kids drown in pools, adults do too. And unlike what you see on the TV, while people (especially kids) drown, they lose their breath and can’t shout or struggle. Drowning is silent—meaning, a person within your reach can drown without you discovering.
This information is not to scare you, but rather to remind you of the need to enforce water safety tips if you have a backyard pool in your home or you are considering having one. In fact, if you are considering setting up a pool, https://thepoolinsider.com is a site you would definitely love.
Now, let’s get on with the safety tips.
Five Water Safety Tips for a Backyard Pool
Create barriers around your backyard pool
This is such a practical way to make your pool safe, as with this, you can choose who gets access to the pool and who doesn’t. You could create a fence around your pool; one which is high enough (4-5 ft. at least). Build the fence in such a way that there are no handholds that would make it easy for kids to climb into the pool. The fence should also have a gate; one that doesn’t make it easy for kids to gain access to the pool. A gate alarm and an underwater pool alarm that alerts you anytime anyone is in the pool would also serve you well for safety.
Ensure your backyard pool has anti-entrapment safety drain covers.
Ensure there are anti-entrapment safety drain covers for your pool. Some drains have such powerful suction that can trap children and adults as well. Also, secure kids from pipes, pool drains, as well as other openings to stop cases of entrapment accidents that happen in pools.
Watch and supervise children closely.
This is a very important tip, as there are no substitutes for supervision. Do not leave a child to just randomly play around the pool without any form of guidance. Apart from kids, you should also ensure that non-swimmers around your pool are at arm’s length.
Learn to swim.
If you’re going to have a backyard pool in your home, then everyone in your household must know how to swim—kids and adults alike. Children should also work on their swimming lessons once a year, at least.
While learning or practicing, non-swimmers or inexperienced swimmers should make use of standard life jackets. During learning sessions, the swimming coach should also be within reach.
You’re never too ready for emergencies
First off, ensure everyone in your home takes courses on CPR, first aid and general water safety. Also, make sure your rescue equipment (including floats, reaching poles or life rings) are close to the pool.
Paste instructions and rules for safety on the walls of the pool, in a way that is clear enough for family and friends to see. Rules could include: no diving, don’t go near the pool without an adult, no pushing, no running, and if you notice anyone in trouble, always get help quickly. Having a poolside phone with emergency numbers is not too much preparation as well.
Wrapping Up
Pool rules are limitless. As a pool owner, you would learn a couple of other things as regards safety. Ensure you apply the things you learn on safety, as a person’s life might be dependent on it.
Finally, if a child is missing, check the pool first, and do it quickly. To prevent real-life drowning situations, speed counts.