| According to the Center for Disease Control and | | | | children. Also, choose gates with self-closing and |
| Prevention, drowning remains to be the second | | | | self-latching features to avoid children accidentally |
| leading cause of injury-related death for children | | | | opening them and thereby gaining unattended |
| aging 1 to 14 years old. Although drowning | | | | access to the pool. |
| statistics have slowly declined in recent years, this | | | | Second, install alarms to the doors and windows |
| does not mean that attention to personal safety | | | | leading to the pool that alerts the adults in the |
| and vigilance over children's welfare around the | | | | house when somebody is trying to go outside into |
| backyard pool can be eased up. | | | | the pool area. If the budget allows it, infrared |
| Education Matters | | | | motion detectors can also be installed in the pool's |
| Contrary to popular belief, drowning is a fast and | | | | perimeter. All these are particularly helpful when |
| silent killer. The victim will not attract immediate | | | | small children are around. To complement the |
| attention and can drown in seconds even when | | | | door alarm, an appropriately-designed pool alarm |
| the body of water in question is just 30 | | | | must also be installed. Just like the door alarms, |
| millimeters in depth. | | | | water motion alarms make warning sounds when |
| As such, proper education on pool-related matters | | | | somebody or something like a small child, a pet, |
| is very important to everybody who possesses | | | | and a pool toy, touch the pool's surface. Falling |
| backyard pools. First and foremost, adults must | | | | leaves and blowing air, however, do not affect it. |
| learn to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation | | | | Third, swathe the pool with an impenetrable |
| (CPR) because emergency first aid can and will | | | | covering to block access to the water. It is best |
| mean the thin red line between life and death. | | | | to choose a hard pool cover that meets product |
| CPR classes can be had from the local Red Cross | | | | standards simply because children cannot fall |
| and YMCA/YWCA chapters as well as in the local | | | | through them and into the pool. With soft covers, |
| hospital. However, it is also important to put the | | | | children can get tangled up in the cloth and get |
| CPR instructions and the local emergency number | | | | trapped under the cover. Also, be very careful |
| in plain sight so that even children can call | | | | about installing pool covers with electric or |
| emergency services personnel when necessary. | | | | automatic controls. Children can accidentally set |
| Also, there must always be close adult supervision | | | | them on and off thereby trapping them inside the |
| when children are using the pool, or even when | | | | cover. |
| they are just playing around it. Adults must | | | | Fourth, keep the foliage in the pool area to a |
| always stay within plain sight and even within | | | | minimum. If this is not desired, then choose plants |
| arm's length of children aged less than 5 years old | | | | that pose no slip and slide risks; ask the nursery |
| to assist them in swimming. No matter what | | | | supervisor for plants and trees that are not |
| happens, never leave young children unattended | | | | appropriate to the pool area because of these |
| even for just a few minutes. | | | | risks. Besides, abundant flora on your backyard |
| Children also must be taught never to swim alone. | | | | pool might look posh but it can be the ruin of the |
| When they are with their buddies, they must | | | | pool's filter system. And almost daily cleaning up |
| never jump into the water when they see | | | | after fallen leaves and flowers is no easy matter |
| someone in danger of drowning. Instead, they | | | | either. |
| should immediately call for help from an adult. | | | | Fifth, make sure that essential pool rescue |
| Everybody must be informed never to swim and | | | | equipment is by the pool or in its near vicinity, |
| or supervise when they have consumed alcohol | | | | which must include life rings and shepherd's |
| and illegal substances as well as medicines that | | | | crooks. Always keep in mind that floating toys |
| cause drowsiness. Other "never rules" include no | | | | and inflatable pool beds are not life-saving devices. |
| swimming when tired and when just finished | | | | Another way to keep the pool safe is to clearly |
| eating, no using the pool when thunder or lighting | | | | delineate between the shallow and deep ends of |
| is present and during rainstorms and no going near | | | | the pool. This can be achieved by installing rope |
| the filters and diving boards. | | | | and float lines as well as placing markers to |
| Of course, it does help that everybody takes | | | | differentiate the depths between kiddy and adult |
| swimming lessons. This is not, however, an | | | | pools. |
| assurance that the family's safety in the backyard | | | | Personal Safety Devices |
| pool is 100% guaranteed. Other measures in the | | | | Of course, personal safety devices must never |
| pool's physical infrastructure and personal safety | | | | be forgotten in the equation. Life vests for small |
| devices are still very important. | | | | children are compulsory because they have yet |
| Physical Infrastructure | | | | to learn to swim capably and they have greater |
| The following inventory of pool infrastructure can | | | | tendencies to panic in stressful situations like |
| facilitate in ensuring that your backyard pool will | | | | drowning than most adults. The fact that floating |
| be safe in the summer months: | | | | toys are not life-saving devices cannot be |
| First, check your local authorities for the | | | | overemphasized. |
| law-mandated height for the pool fence. However, | | | | Also, always remember to store the toys in the |
| try to install a fence six feet or higher simply | | | | proper storage area when these are not in use. |
| because children can and will climb to test their | | | | This is to prevent children from being tempted to |
| physical skills and mental limits. Once the pool | | | | reach out for them and thereby getting into the |
| fence has been installed, make sure that the | | | | pool. |
| gates remain locked at all times when the pool is | | | | Indeed, water is life and water is fun when the |
| not in use or when no adults are around. Hide the | | | | necessary safety measures can be adapted to |
| keys in a secure location away from the reach of | | | | the backyard pool. |