Parental Guide For Peace Of Mind
The Canadian Red Cross reports that drowning is the top cause of death in children who are younger than 4. They also report that more than a third of drowning in children between 5 and 14 occurred when children were swimming without adult supervision. These deaths could be prevented with proper pool safety restrictions.
Getting a pool, however, is a great way to give your children the backyard of their dreams. But, when going through with an inground pool installation, you should think about safety measures. Keep reading to learn more about swimming pool safety and how you can ensure a safe swimming experience in backyard inground pools.
1. Talk About What Could Happen
Public pools typically have a safety protocol sign, but what about home swimming pools? As a parent, it is your responsibility to effectively communicate the pool rules to your children.
Some of these rules may include no running around the pool, no roughhousing, no diving in the shallow end, and no swimming without adult supervision. Make household pool rules clear from day one.
2. Add Fencing During The Pool Installation
The best barrier to protecting young children is building a non-climbable fence around the perimeter of your pool. This will act as your first line of defense and will effectively separate the pool from your house.
These fences have no handholds or footholds, so children can’t climb over the fence. Their sleek design makes it harder for kids to break the rules. Our team of experts can help with installing fence posts as a barrier to keep children from wandering or falling into the pool.
3. Have Pool Builders Install a Pool Alarm
A pool alarm works remotely and will alert you immediately if someone has splashed into the water. This early detection can alert you to a kid’s unsupervised swimming before it’s too late.
4. Don’t Rely On Floaties
All children should be exposed to survival swimming lessons – these classes are even offered for infants. During these classes, the instructor will teach children essential life-saving tactics.
Keep in mind that if a toddler accidentally falls into a pool, their diapers can fill with water and weigh them down. Survival swimming lessons help your child master the basics early on in life.
5. Keep Rescue Buoys Handy
Kids are in the high-risk category for water-related accidents even with supervision. To help lower the risk of drowning, you should make sure your pool area is stocked with lifesaving pool safety equipment.
Buoys act as support for the drowner’s and rescuer’s weight while swimming to safety. These can make rescue much easier.
6. Have Water Watchers
Water watchers are designated adults whose sole job when outside is to keep an eye on the children swimming. If adults are simultaneously entertaining guests, it can be difficult to juggle keeping an eye on the kids. Make sure the adult supervising is responsible and capable of doing so.
7. Pool Maintenance
Keeping your water chemistry properly balanced is of the utmost importance. When your water is not properly balanced, you can reduce the lifespan of your pool and put swimmers in danger.
Responsible pool owners conduct regular pool maintenance to ensure that the water is not at risk of contamination. Contaminated water can irritate the skin and eyes of swimmers. Keep your pool maintained!
8. Keep an Eye on the Weather
It is not safe to swim in a pool during a thunderstorm. Lightning often strikes water and conducts electricity.
Also after a storm, you should reexamine your pool’s composition. Excess rain can also dilute the pool’s chemical composition and create a pH imbalance. Rain can also expose you to harmful bacteria and chemicals that should be avoided when swimming.
9. Have An Emergency Plan
Near drownings and pool-related accidents are likely to put anyone in a panic. However, when dealing with an accident it is vital that you remain calm and have an emergency plan.
An emergency plan can save lives. By keeping this plan and a first aid kit handy, you can quickly address any minor accidents and calmly address major incidents.
10. Put Your Phone Away
The number one distractor around the pool is your phone. As a parent, you are charged with supervising your kids and keeping them safe. The best way to keep your kids safe is by putting your phone away and staying alert!
Enlist Safety Measures for Backyard Inground Pools
Installing backyard inground pools is a great way to elevate your backyard and supply unlimited fun to your kid’s childhood. When you commit to adding a pool to your home, you also need to be willing to enlist life-saving safety measures to keep swimmers safe.
Be proactive in developing your safety plan. If you’re looking to install a pool this season, make sure to contact us at Edgewater Pools! We’re looking forward to get started on your inground pool installation!
