Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. It’s the perfect time to clean off the deck or patio, pull out the grill, put on some sandals, and yes, open up the pool for the summer season! Your friends, your family, and maybe even their friends may all be invited over for fun in the sun this summer.
Before everyone arrives, here are a few tips to make sure that you and your guests stay safe while having fun around the pool this summer.
- Put up a fence or enclosure around your pool. A fence should be at least four feet high and have a self-closing, self-latching gate. You may also want to consider an alarm to notify you if anyone goes into the area.
- Put away ladders or steps used to access the pool when they’re not needed. This will help keep curious little ones from getting into the pool when none of the adults are around.
- Supervise children at all times. No child should be at the pool without an adult. Stay within arm’s reach of children in the pool. Designate different people to watch out for the kids throughout your time at the pool so everyone gets a break.
- Establish and enforce rules for how to behave around the pool such as “no diving” or “no running.”
- Teach children basic water safety tips before allowing them into the pool. Give them a refresher at the beginning of each summer.
- Keep your phone close by in case of an emergency.
- Make sure everyone in and around the pool knows how to swim.
- If a child goes missing in or near your home, always check the pool first.
- Keep children away from drains, pipes, and any other openings in and around the pool. They can be trapped and drown.
- Don’t let anyone who’s had too much to drink go swimming. Alcohol can slow down reaction time and cause other problems.
- Make sure your pool has a cover that fits well and is in good condition.
Everyone deserves to have a good time in the summer, especially around a nice cool swimming pool. Make sure that everyone has a summer to remember, instead of one everyone wishes they could forget. Create rules and stick to them, and always make safety a priority around your swimming pool.