8/9/2019 Swimming Pool Safety at Home

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Install an

outside phone

or keep a cordless

phone poolside.

Leaving children

alone to answer

the phone puts

them at risk.

Individual alarms can be

purchased for doors andwindows with pool access.

Home alarms can alert when

doors or windows are opened.

The pool should be visible

from all windows. Do notobscure view with plants.

All entryway locks

should be 54 inches high.Doors should self-close

and self-latch.

A shepherds hook

on a 16-foot-pole is

very important inhouseholds where

an adult cant swim.

Keep barriers and fences

clear of objects, structures

and toys that children could use

to climb on to gain access

to the pool.

Child safety fencing

is one way to protect

a new pool.

Fence construction

is available in a variety

of materials including

fiberglass and

aluminum. There also

are several qualities

of mesh netting.

Toys near or

in the pool attract

children to the poolsedge, increasing the

risk of falling in.

Inflatable toys

and arm bands

should not be

relied upon as

safety devices.

Anti-vortex drain coverReplace

old covers.

New covers

have holes that

circle the cover to help

prevent tangled hair and

suction-related injuries.

Check drain

covers to make

sure they arent

broken and screws

arent missing.

Pool alarms

that monitor wave activity.

An indoor, wireless remote device

can sound when there is activity.

Other types of alarms measure

subsurface pressure waves or

monitor underwater activity with

lasers.

Safety netting

has hooks that

attach and tighten. Solar covers

are not safety

covers; they

should be removed

from the pool before use.

People can become

entangled in the covers,

and they hamper rescue.

Make sure family and visi-

tors understand pool rules.

No running or screaming.

Loud voices are for emer-

gency situations only.

Always supervise children

swimming.

If diving is permitted, tell

swimmers which area of the

pool is safe for diving.

Let swimmers know rules

for pool toys, which may be

different by age.

Wheeled toys, such as

a tricycle or baby walker,

in the pool area can lead

to children falling in.

SOURCES: THE ASSOCIATION OF POOL & SPA PROFESSIONALS; AMERICAN RED CROSS; CARLOS

TANON, PINCH A PENNY; STEVE SCHATZBERG, BABY GUARD; LESLIE S POOL SUPPLIES; ALL

AMERICAN POOL SAFETY FENCE; KID SAFE POOL NETS; PALM BEACH AND BROWARD COUNTIES

MEDICAL EXAMINERS OFFICES; SUN-SENTINEL RESEARCH

A ring buoy with

a nylon rope can be

thrown to someone in distress.

A child could

use a chair to

climb over a fence.

Self-closing gate

A four-foot

high fence is

recommended.

Supervision, swimming lessons and securing your

pool are keys to averting pool-related drownings

Safety rules for home pools

Hooks attach to

the anchors at

the pools edge.

Graphic by Cindy Jones-Hulfachor/Sun Sentinel

Statistics on families and water-related activities

Tips for poolsafety at home

Teachingchildren howto swim isimportant ifyou plan to

participate inrecreationalactivitiesaround water.

MC TSOURCES: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, AMERICAN RED CROSS

A 2009 American Red Cross

telephone survey found that 87

percent of all households in

the United States will participatein at least one water-related

recreational activity during the

summer.

A 2007 Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention study

found that of all children ages

1 to 4 years old who died froman unintentional injury,

almost 30 percent died

from drowning.

More than one in five fatal

drowning victims are children

14 and younger. For every child

who dies from drowning, anotherfour received emergency depart-

ment care for nonfatal submer-

sion injuries.