Is your Pool Safe for Children?

Young children have a tendency to not know what's right for them at a very young age. Along with the fun of owning a pool, come the responsibilities of making it safe for kids. Unfortunately, drowning is a leading cause of death for children across the United States, especially for places that have warm weather practically all the time such as Los Angeles, CA or Florida.

Safety Tips:

• Surround your pool with a fence that will be able to prevent children from coming into the pool area unsupervised. Make it tall enough and lock it with a key.
• Make sure that gates are closed and secure in order to prevent children from coming into the pool area by themselves
• Install extra locks on the doors and windows of your home that lead to the pool.
• Locks should be high enough and protective for children's safety
• Attach an alarm to the side of the pool or use one that floats in the water
• Have a licensed professional visit and install a safety cover
• Don't confuse safety cover with flimsier pool cover - this is only used to make the pool warmer or cleaner
• Don't rely solely on swimming lessons or floatation devices so firmly. Always make sure that they are supervised by someone who can swim well
• Remove all toys from the pool after everyone is done swimming. Toys can attract young children.
• Don't allow children to play poolside with wheeled toys.
• Avoid putting chairs or tables along the pool fence. This will make it easy for children to climb over the fence.
• Teach children pool safety rules
• Never leave your child alone in the pool area
• Prepare yourself for emergencies by mounting lifesaving devices and phones nearby.
• Teach children how to dial 911 in case of an emergency ONLY.
• Keep pool chemicals out of reach of children
• If you're having a party or entertaining guests, make sure that someone is by the poolside to watch for children
• Inspect your pool in order to make sure that it is in good condition