Tips for Preventing Accidental Drowning in Backyard Swimming Pools

The biggest fear of all swimming pool owners is having a child drown in the pool. Preventing accidental drowning should be a top priority for homeowners installing a new swimming pool or purchasing an existing house with a swimming pool. Following are some important tips for preventing accidental drowning in backyard pools.



Always Have a Life Guard on Duty - any time children are swimming in the pool, there should be one or more adults dedicated to watching them at all times. This doesn't mean simply being in the backyard and reading a book or taking a nap. There should be an adult watching the children at every second just like the lifeguards do at a public pool. It only takes a few seconds for a child to disappear under the water and drown.

Install a Pool Fence - A pool fence, also known as a pool safety fence or a swimming pool fence, is highly recommended for protection while the pool is not in use. The most popular type of pool fence today is a removable mesh pool fence. Installing a removable mesh fence can protect against accidental drowning of children, toddlers, baby and even pets.

Install a Pool Alarm - swimming pool alarms are designed to alert pool owners to unwanted intrusions into the pool. Not intended to be a substitute for adult supervision, a pool alarm is an added redundancy that can alert responsible adults when children or animals unexpectedly enter the pool. A few of the more popular models are the PoolSonix Pool Alarm, the Aquaguard Pool Alarm, and the PoolGuard Pool Alarm.

Personal Safety Devices - all infants and toddlers should wear a personal safety device any time they are in a backyard with a swimming pool. A child pool swim vest is an inexpensive choice that offers good protection from drowning. Child arm floats are also a good choice.

Keep a Lock on the Gate - in order to prevent children from unknowingly entering the backyard, the main gate to the backyard should always be secured by a lock. Homeowners can be liable for injury or death resulting from a child entering the backyard.

Remove Pool Toys From the Pool - swimming pool toys floating in the pool are a big temptation to infants and toddlers. Follow a simple rule of removing the pool toys from the pool any time the pool isn't being used and store them away properly.

Swimming Lessons - not a substitute for the other pool safety tips listed above, teaching kids to be good swimmers goes a long way to protecting them from a drowning accident. Many areas start offering swimming lessons for infants as young as 6 months and there is no doubt it is well worth the investment.



Owning a backyard swimming pool offers countless hours of family fun and entertainment. But all the joy can quickly be ruined with one tragedy of a child drowning. For peace of mind, it is worth investing the time to setup the proper precautions for a safe swimming pool environment in order to significantly reduce the odds of an accidental drowning.

 

 

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