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How to Make Your Backyard Pool Safe

A backyard swimming pool can be an incredible way to relax, entertain and even exercise. Large or small, inground or above-ground, a swimming pool can provide hours of fun. But pools can also pose a danger, especially to young children, and that danger can happen in a matter of seconds.

The statistics are sobering—drowning kills more young children one to four years old than anything else except birth defects and 75 percent of drowning deaths of children younger than 15 occurred at a swimming pool located at a private residence. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points to drowning as a leading cause of unintentional death among children one–14 years of age.

But headlines reporting those drowning aren’t just statistics; they’re about real people. Backyard pool drowning accidents can happen to anyone. From friends and neighbors to celebrities like Olympic skier, Bode Miller and his wife, whose 18-month old daughter Emiline drowned and country singer, Granger Smith and his wife, whose three-year old son, River died from drowning.

The good news is that you can take steps to make your swimming pool safe and protect children from drowning.

First and foremost, children should always be supervised by an adult. Vigilance is the single most important factor in preventing drowning. Adults should practice arm-length direct “touch supervision” for infants and toddlers even if they can swim. While there are many ways to make your swimming pool safe, there is no substitute for supervision!

While none of the following precautions replace adult supervision, they can help save lives:

● Fence a pool in. Install a fence that separates the pool area from the house and yard and self-closing and self-latching gates. There isn’t a federal pool-fence law, but several cities and states have enacted their own laws that spell out fence requirements, such as minimum fence height and other specifications. Some experts say the taller the better to ensure that children can’t use things to climb fences.

● Install alarms. Use an alarm on the house door that leads to the pool area, a floating pool alarm or a below-water alarm. Keep in mind that an alarm isn’t a substitute for appropriate fencing and supervision.

● Block pool and hot tub access. Secure covers on pools and hot tubs when they are not in use.

● Remove toys from the pool. Don’t leave pool toys in the water. Curious children can easily fall into the water while trying to retrieve a toy.

● Keep children away from drains. Body parts and hair can become entrapped by the strong suction.

● Have rescue equipment and a first aid kit nearby. Make sure you have a life-saving tools (life ring, rescue tube or life hook), a first aid kit and a phone nearby. Store the rescue equipment near the pool in a clearly marked and accessible area, and periodically check to make sure it’s in good condition.

● Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). All adults should be trained in CPR. Many organizations such as the American Red Cross, fire departments and hospitals offer CPR certification courses.

● Teach children to swim. Knowing how to swim doesn’t necessarily prevent drowning and isn’t a substitute for adult supervision but teaching children to swim is always a good idea.

● Set pool rules. Educate everyone using your pool on what pool conduct is and is not acceptable. You might even create a list of “official” pool rules that includes these basic instructions:

DON’T RUN ON THE POOL DECK
DON’T DIVE INTO SHALLOW WATER
DON’T PUSH ANYONE INTO THE POOL
DON’T SWIM WITHOUT AN ADULT PRESENT
DON’T DUNK OR HOLD ANYONE UNDERWATER

Taking precautions and installing state-of-the-art safety equipment is a great start and a good addition to any water safety plan, but remember, constant supervision is the single most important way to prevent drowning. Your donation can help teach children water safety to stop drowning death and injury.

Swimming Lessons and Water Safety Best Practices

Death and injury from drowning happen every day in pools; natural bodies of water; toilets; bathtubs; and even buckets. The statistics are staggering: ten people drown every day for a total of 3,400 each year. It’s a leading cause of accidental death among children of all ages and the single leading cause of injury-related death among children ages one to four.

Drowning can happen almost anywhere to anyone as several families learned in October of this year after heart-wrenching tragedies struck. Four children drowned over a three-week period in Florida. Two drowned at backyard pool parties; another slipped through a sliding glass door that was left open; and one involved a young boy with Autism who wandered into a neighbor’s pool. Parents in Jackson, Mississippi mourned the bathtub drowning death of their eight-month old daughter and a family in Michigan grieved for their seven-year old son who drowned while trying to catch frogs in a family pond.

Although swimming lessons don’t necessarily prevent drowning and are not a substitute for adult supervision, it’s important to teach children to swim. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, most children age four and older can learn to swim. Children ages one to four might be able to learn depending on their physical and emotional development. Several organizations, such as the American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs, YMCAs and municipal and neighborhood pools provide low-cost and even free swimming lessons.

The key to preventing these heartbreaking disasters is education and knowledge. Instill a culture of water safety by following these best practices.

Supervise.

Never leave children unsupervised near a body of water, including a bath. The families of drowned children know that it can happen in a matter of seconds. If children are near water, you should never presume that someone else is supervising them. Children under age four should be supervised at arm’s length, even if they can swim. Don’t rely on air-filled or foam toys, such as water wings, noodles or inner tubes, to keep children safe.

Learn CPR.

All parents and childcare providers should learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Many organizations such as the American Red Cross, fire departments and hospitals offer CPR certification courses.

Avoid alcohol.

on’t drink alcohol when you are boating, swimming or supervising children who are swimming or playing in water.

Fence in home pools and add alarms.

Install a fence at least four feet (1.2 meters) tall that separates the pool area from the house and yard. Install self-closing and self-latching gates that open away from the pool and alarms that sound an alert when someone enters the pool.

Stay in designated areas.

At public beaches, swim only in areas set aside for swimming. Pay attention to posted warnings about unsafe swimming conditions. Don’t allow children to swim in drainage ditches, abandoned surface mines or other water-filled areas not intended for swimming.

Watch out for thin ice.

Drowning can occur in cold weather, too. Avoid walking, skating or riding on weak or thawing ice. Pay attention to posted warnings regarding ice safety and consult a local department of recreation for current ice conditions.

Keep bathroom doors closed.

Install a safety latch or door-knob cover on the outside of the door.

Store buckets and containers safely.

Immediately empty buckets and other containers after use. Don’t leave them outside where they might accumulate water.

Help us eliminate drowning and save lives so no families suffer. Your donation can help keep more kids safe. Together, we can have a future where no one drowns.