Approximately 300 children under the age of 5 drown each year in swimming pools, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Simple precautions increase the safety of your home pool for your children and guests who may use it. Assess the current safety level of your home pool, making changes as needed to reduce the risk of drownings.
Significance
Pool safety precautions keep your family safe. A child can easily drown in a home pool before you even realize he is missing. Approximately 2,000 children under the age of 5 are taken to the emergency room for treatment after being submerged in a home pool, according to the CPSC. The safety precautions keep kids out of the water and help reduce the risk of drowning.
Containment
According to the CPSC, 69 percent of child drowning victims were last seen in the home, patio or yard and weren't expected to be in the pool at the time of the accident. A fence surrounding the swimming pool with self-closing and locking gates keeps kids out of the pool without adult supervision. Children should not be able to get inside the fence by climbing under, over or through it. A fence at least 48 inches high with no more than 4 inches between vertical slats and no more than 4 inches between the ground and bottom of the fence is recommended. An alarm added to the gate signals when someone opens it. This alerts you if your child figures out how to open the gate despite the locking mechanism.
Equipment
Safety and rescue equipment acts as a backup to the sturdy pool fence. A pool safety cover adheres to weight minimums that prevent a person from falling into the pool. Not all pool covers fall under the safety cover category. Special alarms attach to the side of the pool to alert you when a person enters the pool. Engaging the alarm when the pool is not in use sends out a signal if your child happens to fall in when you're not outside. A shepherd's hook and life preserver next to the pool help you quickly get to a person who is submerged.
Supervision
Constant adult supervision is a necessity any time the pool is in use. Leaving the pool area even for a minute leaves young swimmers at risk for drowning. Flotation devices and swimming lessons aren't a reliable substitute for adult supervision. Younger swimmers should stay within arm's reach of an adult. This allows you to quickly grab the child if she goes underwater.
Training
Training in CPR and first aid is essential for responsible ownership of a home pool. CPR knowledge improves a drowning victim's chances of surviving. A refresher CPR course on a regular basis keeps you current in the event you need to use it. A first aid kit and a phone near the pool ease the process if a person falls into the pool or is otherwise injured in a home pool.
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