Memorial Day weekend is the traditional gateway to summer in the United States and is usually marked by picnics, family get togethers, and the opening of swimming pools.

Swimming is a healthy and fun activity for everyone, but it is also an activity that needs to be closely monitored. Did you know?

• Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children between the age of one and 14. (Centers for Disease Control, 2003)
• Nine people drown in the United States every day. (CDC)
• Two-thirds of all drownings occur between May and August. (Orange County California Fire Authority)
• Approximately 75% of child drownings occur because of a lapse of adult supervision of less than five minutes.

So how do you keep your family safe in and around the pool this summer? Ambajam has a great list of 10 tips for swimming pool safety that include:

10 Tips to Swimming Pool Safety

• If your child is missing, check the pool first.  If the unthinkable has happened every second counts.
• If you’re little one already knows how to swim they should still always be supervised.  Knowing how to swim doesn’t prevent accidents from happening.
• Pool Alarms. These can be used as an added safety feature and they are made for doors and for underwater.
• Are there empty homes on your street?  Do they have swimming pools?  This can be very dangerous even if the pool is empty.  If you aren’t sure if there is a pool, try using Google maps (satellite view) to check out your neighborhood.  An empty home with a pool can be a hazard that is easily prevented by a phone call to the owner or real estate agent.  Simply ask them to please place a lock on the side gate to prevent the possibility of a child wandering back there.
• Long hair and limbs can get caught in pool drains creating a risk for your young swimmers.  Make sure that no pool drains are broken or missing.  Even better, if your child has long hair, pin it up to prevent accidental suction.  Know where your circuit breaker is for the pool/spa and label it clearly in the event it needs to be shut off during an emergency.
• Have your child wear an approved safety device at all times while you are around the pool.  Arm floaties can easily slip off when a child jumps in.  A flotation device that is snug and goes around the torso is a better option.
• Identify other areas besides pools that pose a threat.  Things like small wading pools or plastic tubs can be enough to compromise the safety of your child.
• If you have a play date, ask if the child knows how to swim.  If the answer is no, take extra precaution to lock all doors leading to the pool.  If you are taking your child to a play date ask if there is a pool.
• If you are going to a park, find out if there is a pool and know where it is.  Make sure that there isn’t a way that your child can get in to the area.
• Pool fences should go around the entire pool and be at least 4 feet tall.  There should be a secure latch and/or lock if your child can reach the opening.

Check out the rest of her article for more information and additional safety resources.

Besides safety tips and precautions you need to take when in the neighborhood of a pool, and the numerous devices you can use to assist you and your family with the supervision and monitoring your children, pool alarms are definitely one of the best assets for your home, or some sort of security system. Of course to assist in preventing and reducing risk even further, consider installing security camera equipment

Enjoy your weekend and stay safe!

Posted on May 25th, 2008 by Char
Filed under: Safety