We all worry about the safety of our loved ones, and the reality is that people can be hurt or even die in something as innocuous as a swimming pool. Small children or even adults can drown when they don’t respect the power of water. But pools can be a lot of fun if you take the proper precautions to ensure that everyone is safe. Here are a few safety tips to ensure that the pool at your house or in your neighborhood is safe for everyone.
Have an Adult Present
Whenever you allow children to swim in the pool, make sure that there is an adult present. If the children are particularly young, the adult should be in the water with them. But even if you have older children around the ages of 8 or 9 who know how to swim or can even touch the bottom of the pool, there are things that can go wrong.
A child could hit their head or inhale water. You’ll want an adult there who can call for help if something happens. If the pool is deep, you’ll want an experienced swimmer around even if there are only adults in the pool. People can get tired when they’re swimming, so don’t assume that because someone is older that they won’t get hurt.
Have a Fence
One of the most basic parts of owning a pool is ensuring that you have a fence around it. Proper fencing can protect and prevent a countless number of dangerous situations from occurring. Not only does it prevent toddlers from falling into it, but it also discourages older children or even adults from entering the pool when they’re not supposed to.
In fact, fences around pools are so important that many states require it by law. Most fences are easy to install and provide the safety needed to stop small children and those inexperienced with swimming from entering the pool area. The fence that you choose needs to be partially see-through, so a chain-link fence, or a vinyl fence with slightly open slats are options you could pursue. This will ensure that you can see if anyone is in the fenced-in area. It will also keep children out.
Teach People How to Swim
Communities need to take the time to teach children and adults how to swim. If you have a home pool, enroll your children in swimming lessons or teach them yourself. If you live in a smaller community that doesn’t actively promote swimming lessons, get in touch with your town officials or school administrators to see if there’s a way to make it part of the curriculum.
Safety around water is extremely important because lives can be saved just by observing a few rules. If you have concerns about the safety of a pool, look into the situation to ensure that everyone will be safe around it.