Common-Sense Ways to Prevent Accidents In & Around Your Pool, Part 1

Getting to relax by the pool with your friends and family is a dream come true for plenty of new pool owners. That dream can quickly turn into a nightmare, however, if you or one of your guests becomes the victim of a pool-related accident. Thankfully, there are a number of steps you can take to dramatically reduce the risk of someone getting hurt in or around your backyard oasis. Here are a few tips for making sure your swimming pool is as safe as possible.

Always Designate a Responsible Adult to Supervise Children in the Pool

According to the Centers for Disease Control, between 2005 and 2014 there was an average of about 10 deaths per day by drowning. One in five of those who drowned were kids ages 14 or below. For each child who dies as a result of drowning, there are five more who require emergency medical treatment. Many of those who don’t die will end up with life-altering brain injuries. Little children are the most at risk. Other than for birth defects and automobile accidents, drowning is the leading cause of death for kids ages one to four years old.

Since childhood death or serious injury by drowning is such a big risk, it’s absolutely crucial to make sure there is always responsible adult supervision any time children are swimming. This isn’t the same as an adult simply being out in the yard weeding the garden or getting engrossed in a video on their cell phone. This means an adult who is carefully watching the children the whole time they’re swimming and playing in or near the water.

Make sure the person who is supposed to be watching the children is aware that they’re on pool watch duty. It’s not enough that the adults are present; there must be someone who agrees to be the pool watcher. Tragically, there have been drowning accidents that take place in pools at backyard barbecues with plenty of adults milling around. If you’re having a pool party, let the adults take turns actively supervising the children.

Along with having a designated pool watcher, there are several other steps you can take to make your pool a safer place.

Put Up a Fence Around Your Pool

Putting a child-proof barrier around your pool is a highly effective way to guard against accidental drowning deaths or injuries. If you have young children in the family who don’t swim well, it’s especially important to secure your pool. Even if you are great about supervising your child during swimming times, there’s always a chance that a child could sneak out and climb into the pool at a time when they’re not supposed to be swimming. Neighborhood children may also be attracted to your pool and try to take a dip secretly when you’re not around.

Putting up a secure fence around the pool is a great way to deter any unsupervised swimming. A tall, four-sided enclosure that is difficult to climb and bars unauthorized entry to the pool will be more effective at preventing drowning accidents than simply having a fence around your yard.

In our next article, we’ll consider some more common-sense safety tips for pool owners who want to prevent accidents.

Lyon Financial

Since 1979 Lyon Financial has made the backyard resort dream come true for over 400,000 families across the U.S. Through our solid relationships with more than 3,000 pool contractors and our continued commitment to putting our clients first, we have built a reputation as the first choice in providing pool financing solutions. For more information, visit lyonfinancial.net or call (877) 754-5966 today.