• Never leave your child alone or out of eye contact while he or she is in or near the pool.

• Children under age three should be kept within arm’s reach of an adult while in or about the pool

• Keep a phone poolside so you won’t have to leave children unsupervised when you make or answer a call.

• Always use approved personal-flotation devices, rather than inflatable toys, to keep your child afloat.

• Do not consider young children to be “drown proof” because they have had swimming lessons.

• Remove toys from in and around the pool when you’re not using them.  Toys can attract young children to the pool.

• Prohibit diving in shallow water and in all above-ground pools.  Diving into shallow water can result in cervical spine injuries causing permanent paralysis.

• Stay out of the water during a thunderstorm.

• If you own a pool, insist that all adults in your family learn CPR.

• Discuss pool rules, safety measures and procedures, water depths, etc., with your guests before they enter the water.

Safe Pool Maintenance

• The pool deck should be kept clear of debris and tripping hazards.  Only non-breakable items should be allowed in the pool area – never bottles or other articles made from glass.

• Water quality (ph and chlorine levels) should be checked several times a day and maintained to ensure a safe and healthy environment.

• Pool chemicals should be stored in a safe, dry and secure area away from the pool and out of children’s reach.

Safe Access - Pool Fences and Barriers

All residential pools should be completely enclosed by a fence that stands at least four feet high.  Avoid fences with vertical bars spaced more that four inches apart and chain-link fences that are easy to climb. 

• Fence gates should be self-closing and self-latching.  The latch should be out of a child’s reach.

• Keep patio furniture away from the fence so that youth can’t climb on it to boost themselves over the fence.

• Never prop open a pool gate.

• If possible, purchase various alarms.  A door alarm will sound when the pool gate is opened.  Wrist alarm bands make noise when kids get wet.  A pool alarm is activated when objects over ten pounds fall into the water.

• With above-ground pools, secure and lock steps and ladders leading from the ground to the pool or remove them completely when the pool is not being used.

To The Rescue . . .

If you discover an unconscious child in the pool, follow these steps:

• Send someone to call 911.

• If the child is in shallow water, turn him or her face up and keep the child’s face out of the water.

• If the child is in deep water, grab a flotation device before going to him/her.

• Look for signs of breathing.  If the child is not breathing, start rescue breathing, (mouth-to-mouth breathing) while still in the water.

• Check the child’s pulse.  If there is no pulse, start CPR.  CPR requires that you take the child out of the pool and place him or her on a hard level surface.