Make sure you know what to do in the event of a water emergency.Keep life rings, floats, and/or a reaching pole available near the pool in case of an emergency.Have your pool inspected regularly by a professional for entrapment or entanglement hazards to make sure the pool safety cover is working properly, etc.Don't have a pet or doggy door if it leads to a pool area (or an area where a child can access water).Be sure to remove steps, ladders, or anything else (such as lawn furniture) that can be used for access to an above-ground pool when an adult isn't supervising the pool.To protect against a child getting caught in a drain, install anti-entrapment drain covers and safety release systems.Get in the habit of using these latches and locks at all times, and ask your houseguests to do the same.Ĭonsider door alarms on all doors and windows that have access to the pool area. Inside your home, add latches and locks to any doors and windows that lead outside. A quarter happen at the homes of friends, relatives, or neighbors. Most drownings among children age 4 and under happen when the child leaves their own home (out a door, window, or pet door) and falls into a pool that isn't fenced off from the house. Never let a young child go near a pool or spa without close adult supervision. Even the best alarm is no substitute for a fence, latches, and - most of all - vigilance. No matter what kind of alarm system you have for your pool or home, don't let your guard down. If you're not sure whether your alarm system has this feature, ask your alarm company. Set your alarm system (if you have one in your home), on "chime." This means the alarm system will make a chime sound if anyone opens a perimeter door or window and alert you if your child tries to get out.Purchase a wristband for your child that sounds an alarm when it gets wet.Equip all doors and windows that have access to the pool area with an alarm that sounds when they're opened.These will detect and alert you to movement in the water. Consider installing a pool alarm system, available at pool supply companies.There are several things you can do to become alerted if your child is headed for – or in – the pool unsupervised. Also make sure that the cover completely covers the pool, so a child can't slip under it. Even a small puddle of water poses a drowning hazard to young children. Keep water from collecting on top of the cover. If you use a cover, make sure it's well maintained, and keep the control device out of the reach of children. Unlike covers, which are often left open for extended periods of time, fences are always there.) Use a pool coverįor another layer of protection, in addition to a fence, you can cover the pool with a rigid, motorized cover, available from pool supply companies. Make sure access to the top is blocked (a child can't climb to the top of the pool or access it via steps, for example). A fence is preferred, but sometimes a barrier can be mounted onto the top of the pool structure, around the perimeter (if the pool is high enough). If the surface is non-solid (such as grass or gravel), the clearance should be 2 inches or less.Ībove-ground pools need barriers, too. Be no more than 4 inches above a solid ground surface. The gate should be locked whenever the pool isn't in use. And the latch should be out of the child's reach – at least 54 inches from the ground. The gates should open out, away from the pool area. The latches should be self-closing and self-latching. Have no more than 4 inches of space between vertical slats if the fence is slatted.Chain link isn't best, but if chain link is used, the links should be 1 ¾ inches or smaller. According to the American Red Cross, four-sided fencing that separates the pool area from the house and yard reduces a child's risk of drowning by 83 percent compared to three-sided fences that run along the property line. Be a minimum of 4 feet high with no gaps wider than 4 inches.
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