Swimming pool safety tips

Cooling down in your swimming pool sounds like a great idea during the hot summer days. To keep it an enjoyable area it is important to follow these easy steps to ensure the safety of small children around the pool area:

• Enforce the rules such as “No running”, “No pushing”, “No dunking”, and “Never swim alone”
• Do not rely on swimming lessons or “ floaters” to protect your children in the water — remember floatation devices are not a substitute for supervision
• Place tables, chairs and other objects well away from the pool fence to prevent children from using them to climb into the pool area
• Keep toys out of and away from the pool area when not in use; young children playing with or reaching for toys could accidently fall in the water
• Children under the age of 3, and children who are weak swimmers, must wear a lifejacket or a PFD (Personal Floatation Device)
• Make sure lifesaving equipment (rings, buoys etc.) and a first aid kit are kept near the pool
• Take a course on pool safety, first aid and lifesaving skills (such as CPR)
• Never use a pool with its pool cover partially in place, since children may become entrapped under it — remove the cover completely
• Remove steps to above ground pools; they are too shallow
• Don’t dive from the side of an in-ground pool; enter the water feet first – dive only from the end of the diving board
• Never dive into the shallow end; dive with your hands in front of you and always steer up immediately upon entering the water to avoid hitting the bottom or sides of the pool
• Pool alarms or detectors may offer extra protection against drowning or injury even during winter storage
• Install a four sided fence with self-closing and self-latching gates to prevent children from accessing the pool area; contact your local municipality for specific fencing requirements
• For emergencies, keep a telephone close to the pool

Please supervise your children at all times and enjoy your summer!