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Avoiding Swimming Pool Hazards around Children
by Carl Pensington
http://www.flxpool.com
You should review the basic safety procedures, before you
open your swimming pool for the season, or if you are
thinking of having a pool installed.Have your family review
the procedures. Even if you have had that pool for a
number of years, do this review to make sure that children
don't become victims of a water tragedy. It only takes a
moment where children are concerned, for something to go
wrong and for tragedy to strike. People who get too used to
pools will often forget about the dangers involved, and
this often will happen when those who are designated to
supervise the children at the pool become lax.
Children are still losing their lives each year as a result
of being left alone by a swimming pool, even those who
aren't in the toddler range. When the phone rings, someone
knocks at the door or a friend calls you around to the
other side of the house, your first instinct may be to
respond to their summons, but nothing is more important
than the safety of your children. If it means leaving them
alone by the pool while you attend to one of these other
matters, you're endangering their lives, so choosing
between the two should never be an issue.
While you are spending time by the pool with the kids, and
you absolutely have to answer your phone, go for the extra
trouble and have a phone installed near the pool. You could
also get a portable phone and keep it with you near the
pool. Just yell for visitors to come to the back, instead
of answering the front door. If a neighbor calls you over
to their yard or over the fence, do the same. Never, never
leave your children unattended at the pool. If you do have
an emergency, just take the children out of the pool and
bring them with you if youstep away and there is no other
adult to watch them for you.
A swimming pool should always be separated from the house
by a fence, and some towns are now even making that a law.
The fence needs to be at least 4 feet in height and must
enclose the entire pool area. Too many tragedies have
occurred when toddlers wander away from the house and
fall into the pool. To prevent this, the gate to the pool
must be self-closing and the self-latching system must be
beyond the reach of young children. You should also have
proper rescue equipment , such as a life preserver and a
hooked tool that will aid in retrieval.
When youngsters are in the pool, be sure that they have
approved life vests rather than pool toys or safety gear
that requires you to fill them with air. These can
puncture and can put the children's lives in jeopardy,
possibly causing them to drown before help can arrive.
Distance is a factor, too, and the general rule of thumb is
to always stay within an arm's length of children who are
in or near the pool. Once they've finished playing in the
water, don't make the mistake of leaving toys in or around
the area, since young children find these a great
temptation and often try to retrieve them, putting
themselves in danger, in the process.
Unless there's an adult who knows how to perform CPR, they
shouldn't be given the responsibility of supervising
children in a pool environment. Instructional classes are
available to everyone in most communities and should be
taken advantage of before the swimming season begins. With
that done, and the other safety procedures put into place,
your kids will be sure to have a safe, fun summer
experience.
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