11 Tips for Pool Safety

A swimming pool is a wonderful thing for a family. From recreation to exercise to creating happy memories and building social skills, installing a swimming pool benefits people of all ages. If your family includes children, though, pool safety should be everyone’s top priority.

Why is it so important to be careful around a pool? Drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death for kids between the ages of 1 and 18. Fortunately, there are precautions you can take to keep your kids safe around your pool.

• When children are around water, keep them under adult supervision at all times. Even if it’s an inflatable or kiddie pool, children should never be left alone near water. For infant and toddlers, there should always be an adult within arm’s length, and for older children, and adult should be paying constant attention, free from distractions. It should go without saying that the adult watching the children must know how to swim, and even if there’s a lifeguard on site, adults should be watching the children specifically in their charge.
• Make swimming lessons mandatory. Even though swimming lessons can keep children safer, however, they do not guarantee that safety. It’s wise to teach your children to swim, but still vital to keep your eyes on them.
• Be sure there’s a phone by the pool. If there’s an emergency, no one should have to run back to the house.
• Keep toys out of the pool. If a toy is left in or near the pool, it could tempt a child to go after it.
• Dump water out of smaller pools. After using an inflatable or plastic pool, empty it and turn it upside down.
• Fence in your pool. Don’t rely on pool covers and alarms, but install a fence that’s at least four feet high, with gates that self-close and self-latch.
• Make sure rescue equipment is accessible. At a minimum, a shepherd’s hook and life preserver should be kept wherever your family swims.
• Don’t trust floaties. Inflatable swimming aids should be avoided, because they can give children a false sense of security.
• Teach kids safety rules. Running, pushing, or jumping on others should not be permitted, and kids should never swim alone.
• Explain diving dangers. Never dive in shallow water or water of unknown depth.
• Make rules for teens, too. In particular, caution teens that alcohol can increase the risk of drowning.

While you’re watching your little ones, let Millennium Pool Service take care of maintaining your pool. With over 30 combined years of experience in the pool industry, we provide a comprehensive range of services for both residential and commercial customers in Virginia, Washington DC, and Maryland. When you hire Millennium Pool Service, you get a well-qualified, industry-trained staff, services that are tailored to your needs, and a commitment to 100% customer satisfaction. In Virginia, call 703. 939. 5062, in Maryland, call 301. 591. 3750, or you can contact us through our website.