As the outdoors get warmer and brighter, nothing beats the beauty of summer swimming, be it at your home or a community facility. However, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported an increase in fatal pool drownings of children under 15 years annually. Here are six pool safety tips to protect your family and guests as you enjoy your summer experiences in and around the water.
- Ensure Your Children Know How to Swim
If you have a home pool or usually bring your kids to public pools, it’s important that you teach them how to swim. You can have them enroll in local swimming classes where professionals train them to become more comfortable around water. Make sure they learn and understand crucial pool safety rules and be ready to join them in the water to help build their swimming skills and confidence.
- Designate A Supervisor to Watch Children
Even if your child knows how to swim, you shouldn’t leave them unattended by the pool or in the water. Arrange for an adult to watch any minors around your home swimming pool when you’re away. A “water watcher” is a potential life saver that can act swiftly to prevent drowning accidents or fatalities involving minors.
- Teach Children not to Play Near Drains
As children become more confident in the water, they’ll try to explore new experiences. It’s important that they learn the dangers of swimming or playing near drains. Their hair, hands, legs, or even costume can get stuck in these openings, causing them to drown. Teach them to be cautious to avoid tragedy.
- Always Go to Pools with Compliant Drain Covers
Another life-saving pool safety tip is to be proactive and confirm that any pool you plan to use is safe for you and your family. If it’s a public pool or spa, you can ask the management to confirm the presence of safety-compliant drain covers. Your backyard pool should have these safety features, too.
- Install Safety Barriers Around Your Backyard Pool
To prevent children from accessing your home swimming pool or spa when you’re gone, you should install sound barriers around it. Besides proper fencing, use covers and deploy alarms that alert you when someone attempts to access these amenities.
- Take CPR Training
Consider taking CPR lessons that teach you how to give first aid to drowning victims, including adults and minors. You may sign up for free or low-cost CPR classes in your community to acquire these crucial life-saving skills.
Swim Safely with McCarty Insurance
Implementing these pool safety tips will allow you and your family to have an eventful summer in and around the water. At McCarty Insurance Agency , we help property owners as they shield themselves against liabilities associated with pool ownership, including drowning accidents. Contact us today for assistance in determining the right amount and type of coverage for your property.
