Having a swimming pool in your own backyard is a great way to escape from the summer heat and make memories with your friends and 
family. Owning a swimming pool though means you need to be ever vigilant and take on the responsibility of keeping your children, friends and family safe while they’re in the pool; remember though that safety is everyone’s responsibility so share the rules of the pool with everyone who comes to your backyard oasis.
Your swimming pool service contractors at a Clear Choice Pool Service in Menifee, California provide these safety tips for spending time in and around your swimming pool:
- Never leave a child unsupervised near a pool. Adults should also not swim alone.
- Instruct babysitters about potential hazards to young children in and around swimming pools and the need for constant supervision.
- Completely fence the pool. Install self-closing and self-latching gates. Position latches out of reach of young children. Keep all doors and windows leading to the pool area secure to prevent small children from getting to the pool. Effective barriers and locks are necessary preventive measures, but there is no substitute for supervision.
- Do not consider young children “drown proof” because they have had swimming lessons; young children should always be watched carefully while swimming.
- Do not use flotation devices as a substitute for supervision.
- Never use a pool with its pool cover partially in place, since children may become trapped under it. Remove the cover completely.
- Keep all tables and chairs away from the pool fence to prevent children from climbing into the pool area.
- Keep toys away from the pool area because a young child playing with the toys could accidentally fall in the water. Riding toys should be kept away from the deck area as well. Remove all water toys from the water and store them in a location outside of the pool area – a ball floating in the water could tempt a child to try and reach for it.
- Remove steps to above ground pools when not in use.
- Have a telephone at poolside to avoid having to leave children unattended in or near the pool to answer a telephone elsewhere. Keep emergency numbers at the poolside telephone.
- Learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
- Keep rescue equipment by the pool. You should have a lifejacket, a kickboard and a long hook you extend to a swimmer if he or she is in distress.
Don’t let your friends or family become a swimming pool statistic… be safe always around your pool!