FACT: Drowning is silent.
Never leave children unattended in or near a pool. Never break visual contact. Children can drown in the time it takes to answer the door.
FACT: Drowning is swift.
Never become distracted from the responsibility of supervising children in or near a pool. Never talk on the phone or read while supervising children in or near a pool.
Fact: Swimmers are not drown-proof.
Never consider a child drown-proof because they can swim. Never allow floating aids or toys to substitute for direct supervision.
As families look forward to a season full of fun at the pool it is important to remember the fundamentals of water safety. Being pool-smart and safety-wise will provide for hours of family fun while avoiding the tragedy of drowning. Please enforce the following safety precautions this season.
- Keep an emergency phone and rescue equipment in the immediate pool area.
- Always designate an adult as supervisor. Never assume someone else is watching. Larger pools and large groups of children require more supervisors.
- Remove all toys from the pool area after each use so children are not tempted to retrieve them.
- Install a non-climbable, five foot high minimum fence around the pool to separate the house and play areas from the pool area. Use self-closing, self-latching gates that open outward. The latch should be higher than a child can reach. All gaps should be less than 4” wide. Keep the fence clear of any items (toys, ladders, chairs…) which can be climbed on to gain access to the pool.
- Any door or window leading to the pool area should remain locked and be equipped with an alarm system that sounds an alert when perimeter doors or windows are opened. Controls should be out of a child’s reach.
- Establish and enforce pool safety rules. Communicate pool safety with caregivers. If they are unable to provide proper supervision the pool should be off-limits.
- Pool safety covers add to the protection level but should not be used in place of a fence. Pool alarms with an alert that sounds in the house offer a further level of protection.
- Training in CPR and rescue techniques are advised for anyone supervising children in or near a pool.
- A pool is the first place to look for a missing child. Walk around the entire perimeter of the pool to view all angles. Search under edges and into shadows. If you find a child in the water yell “help,” remove the child from the water, and instruct someone to call 9-1-1. If you are alone administer CPR for one minute, call 9-1-1, and resume CPR until help arrives.
- Use the same care and precautions around bathtubs, spas, hot tubs, ponds, lakes, wading pools, or any other form of standing water in which a child’s mouth and nose can be submerged (toilet, bucket of water…)
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