Swim Library

We hope that you found some of our Summer Swim Safety Tips from last week helpful!  Last week we covered “Safer Kids” and different measures you can take to make play time in the water and at pool parties a safer environment.

This week we would like to share some measure you can make at home if you, a relative, or friend have a backyard pool or hot tub.   These measures are important in reducing the ability of children to wander into a pool area unsupervised or without your knowledge.

Safer Water:

• Install, maintain, and utilize proper fencing, gates, gate latches, alarms and other safety equipment around the pool
• Fences that separate the pool from your home should be at least five feet high
• The area surrounding the fence should be clear of objects that could aid a child in climbing over the fence such as chairs, pots or buckets
• Gates should be self-closing and self-latching to prevent the gate from being mistakenly left open.  The latch should be installed at the top of the gate and out of reach of children so that they can not open the gate on their own
• Additional layers of protection can include: safety covers, gate alarms, door alarms and motion detection devices
• According to the Orange County Fire Authority the use of multiple layers of protection can significantly reduce pediatric pool drownings and near-drownings.

Look for future posts for tips on how to be prepared if an accident should ever occur!