When the coronavirus pandemic came along, it completely changed many things about our lives. It also changed the features people want in their homes. Home offices and spaces for remote learning all suddenly became must-haves as families adapted to new ways of working and attending school. But life can’t be all work! You’ve got to make time for fun, too. People also began spending more money on things like backyard pools that would help them have fun without leaving the house.
Since the pandemic forced people to cancel their planned vacations, many people decided to turn their backyards into their private destinations by having pools installed. Demand for pools inground and hot tubs skyrocketed in 2020. Many pool vendors either sold out or ended up with waitlists expected to last into the coming years. And if people weren’t looking into having in-ground or above-ground pools installed, they often turned to portable pools for a faster and more affordable alternative.
Safety and Backyard Pools
But even with demand for pools growing, it’s important not to lose sight of one important thing: safety. It doesn’t matter if you have a big in-ground pool, an above-ground pool, or an inflatable pool. The safety of your kids always needs to be a top concern. Pools are irresistible for young children who are often not aware of safety measures.
According to the CDC, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury among children aged 1-14, just behind car accidents. And among children aged 1-4, more children die from drowning than from any other cause except birth defects. Even when drownings are non-fatal, children can still face long-lasting health complications as a result.
So, what can you do to make sure the kids stay safe around the pool?
Set Ground Rules
It is essential to have firm ground rules in place is an essential part of pool safety. First and foremost, kids need to understand that they should never use the backyard pool without an adult present. It’s also crucial to teach children safe behavior around the pool. Adults should ensure that kids know not to run near the pool and only jump in if the water is deep enough.
Pool Fencing
Having rules in place for using the pool is one thing, but making sure that they’re followed is another. That’s why one of the best things you can do to prevent a tragedy is to make sure your pool is adequately secured. Even if you have a well-behaved child who usually follows the rules and wouldn’t get in the pool without permission, it’s just not worth the risk. According to The Red Cross, 69% of young children who drown were not expected to be in or near the water.
Given how easy it is for children to drown accidentally, some laws require pool owners to put fences around backyard pools. Pool barrier laws can vary from state to state, county to county, or city to city. Thus, it’s necessary to find out what the exact laws are where you live so that you can make sure your fencing meets the minimum standards. If you’re in a situation where there are conflicting standards to meet, the general rule is to go with the stricter standards. For example, if your city has stricter requirements than your state, you’ll need to follow the standards for the city. While not mandatory standards, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has a lot of good information about basic guidelines for pool fencing and how to childproof them.
Security Beyond Fencing
In addition to fencing off pools, door locks and alarms are excellent security measures. If kids are eager to go swimming and aren’t necessarily willing to wait for your permission, locks and alarms will go a long way in preventing them from getting out of the house. They will alert you if they even try. It is crucial to have them if your pool is located in a way where doors lead directly out to a pool area.
In the case of above-ground pools, a great way to prevent the kids from getting into the pool without warning is to remove access to the pool. For example, if a pool is accessible with a ladder, make sure the ladder is put away and secured when people aren’t supposed to be in the water. It’s also a good idea to store anything else that might be a temptation to kids, such as floatable toys and other fun pool toys.
Good Supervision
As effective as tools like fencing and alarms are, they’re no replacement for good supervision. Even if the kids are good swimmers, adults need to be fully present without distraction. Playing with phones and anything else that takes attention away from the pool can lead to an opportunity for drowning to occur. People tend to think of drowning as a noisy event where people start splashing around if they get into trouble. But in reality, drowning often happens quickly and quietly. So, you can’t assume that you’ll hear it if someone needs help.
Protecting Portable/Inflatable Pools
People also make the mistake of thinking that inflatable and other types of portable pools aren’t as dangerous as other types of pools. But just because they might not be as large or as deep, that doesn’t mean they’re without dangers. Even shallow water can potentially land a child in deep trouble.
Be sure to check your local laws to find out any special requirements that apply to portable pools. They may have requirements such as gates, that need to be in use. Even if fences aren’t required, it’s still recommended to cover the pool or drain it. You should ensure to put it away when not in use.
With proper safety measures, backyard pools can help make beautiful memories for a family. Stay safe and have fun!
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