How to Pool Safely to Avoid Accidents

In honor of National Water Safety Month that begins in May, we put together some tips to keep your family safe this summer!

Here’s how to pool safely to avoid accidents.

Use Appropriate Supervision

To keep everyone safe in the people, have an adult in charge of watching over the swimming pool. This doesn’t mean the 13-year old babysitter.

Generally speaking, you should never let children under the age of 15 supervise a pool.

If there are infants and small children in the pool, more than one adult is often appropriate.

The adult assigned to watch the pool is responsible for supervision and enforcing the pool rules.

You want to make sure that everyone is aware of the pool rules. Here are a few to get you started:

• No running around the pool.
• No diving in the shallow end.
• Discuss proper diving board and slide usage.
• Set parameters on pool toys and how to use them, especially water guns.
• Children don’t swim alone.
• Keep up with local codes.
• Have a fence around your pool to keep uninvited guests out.
• Encourage the use of safe pool games.
• Don’t allow horseplay such as throwing or pushing people into the water.
• When it comes to refreshments, keep the glass away from the pool.

Everyone should be aware of your rules – even other adults.

Check Out Swimming Ability

You want to know the swimming ability of the guests who are using your pool.

If there are teenagers or adults who don’t know how to swim, you want to watch them in the same way you would a child who can’t swim.

The shallow area is a great place for people who can’t swim, and this makes it easier for you to watch them and keep them safe.

It’s a good idea to educate young children and people who can’t swim on your safety precautions.

Extra Precautions

Look at this list of extra precautions in the case of an unfortunate accident:

• Consider having one of your family members trained in basic CPR.
• Have a phone near the pool for emergencies.
• Keep these basic safety items near the pool: life preserver, first aid kits, instructions on how to do CPR, long-handled hook for grabbing on to people in a life preserver.
• Keep electrical appliances away from the water.
• Don’t use extension cords near the pool.

Final Thoughts

There’s nothing quite like spending the summer in a swimming pool. It’s a lifetime of good times and great memories.

It is important that you keep your poolside entertaining safe. Keep and enforce your rules and encourage good judgment on the part of the everyone in and around the pool.

It’s up to you to make sure family and friends have a safe, enjoyable time in your pool. We wish you all a wonderful pool season!