Seventy-five percent of our planet is water – can you swim?

Now that our pool is open, my mommy sensors turn on even more-so.  Though we have an above ground, it is still scary to think that in a blink of an eye, one of the kids could get in if I forget to put up the ladder.  So I wanted to share some pool safety links I found from Pool Safety from the US Consumer Safety Product Commission.  The USCSPC helped to pass The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act (P&SS Act) after the unfortunate loss of Virginia Graeme, a 7 year old girl who drowned after entrapment in a hot tub drain.  The federal act outlines the minimum standards and recommendations for home and public use.


There are 3 basic rules:
Supervision
Swim Lessons
Safe Surrounds


1. Supervision:

• Never leave a child unattended in a pool or spa and always watch your child when he or she is in or near water
• Teach children basic water safety tips
• Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments
• Have a telephone close by when you or your family is using a pool or spa
• If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first
• Share safety instructions with family, friends and neighbors

2. Learn Swimming and other Safety Techniques

• earn how to swim and teach your child how to swim
• Learn to perform CPR on children and adults, and update those skills regularly
• Understand the basics of life-saving so that you can assist in a pool emergency

3. Safe Surroundings

• Install a four-foot or taller fence around the pool and spa and use self-closing and self-latching gates; ask your neighbors to do the same at their pools.
• Install and use a lockable safety cover on your spa.
• If your house serves as a fourth side of a fence around a pool, install door alarms and always use them. For additional protection, install window guards on windows facing pools or spas.
• Install pool and gate alarms to alert you when children go near the water
• Ensure any pool and spa you use has compliant drain covers, and ask your pool service provider if you do not know
• Maintain pool and spa covers in good working order
• Consider using a surface wave or underwater alarm

There is a set of 7 brief public service announcements, that take less than a minute to watch but may help prevent a tragedy.

Pool Safely Step 1 Supervision

Pool Safely Step 2 Fencing

Pool Safely Step 3 Pool and Spa Covers

Pool Safely Step 4 Alarms

Pool Safely Step 5 Safety Drain Covers

Pool Safely Step 6 Swim Lessons

Pool Safely Step 7 Learn CPR 

Stay Cool and Stay Safe!