Warm weather brings fun in the sun! Enjoying a day poolside with family and friends is one of the most popular, backyard summertime activities. Whether you own an inground pool, an above ground pool, or a backyard spa, water safety is the responsibility of all pool owners.
Why is Damar Security Systems writing about backyard pool and spa safety? Well, it’s because our team is made up of parents and pool owners that take pool safety for kids very seriously.
Outside of installing a CCTV camera system to view your pool safety fence, another option is to install a pool gate contact that can be tied into your residential security system. As pool owners, one of the greatest fears is that a neighborhood child may have opened the gate and possibly fallen into the pool or spa. With a pool gate contact alarm, anytime your backyard pool gate is opened, a notification is sent from the household security system to your mobile device. As part of an integrated home security system, the pool fence alarm will alert you to check your backyard pool area to ensure that everyone is safe. Should you be away from home and receive an alert, you can reach out to a neighbour who could check on your backyard pool or spa. Installing an integrated pool fence alarm, offers added pool safety and enhanced security, inside and out with the added peace of mind for responsible pool owners.
Swimming pool safety tips:
- Share safety instructions with family, friends, and neighbours.
- Learn how to swim and teach your children how to swim.
- Learn to perform CPR on children and adults and update those skills regularly.
- Install a five-foot or taller fence around the pool and use self-closing and self-latching gates; ask your neighbours 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 added protection, install window guards on windows facing backyard pools or spas.
- Install pool and gate alarms to alert you when children go near the water.
- Make sure any pool and spa you use has compliant drain covers; ask your pool service provider if you’re unaware of the cover required for your pool or spa.
- Keep your pool or spa cover in good shape. If you notice defects have them repaired if possible or buy a new one.
- Always watch your children when they’re in or near a pool or spa. If multiple adults are present, designate one of them to watch the children for a designated amount of time and then rotate. This technique will prevent lapses in supervision.
- Teach children basic water safety tips and enroll them in swimming lessons.
- Keep children away from pool drains, pipes, and other openings to avoid entrapments.
- Don’t rely on fun toys such as water wings or noodles to keep your children safe. If your child can’t swim, fit them with an appropriate personal floatation device (PFD).
- Have these items close by at all times when you or your family are using a pool or spa: portable telephone, first aid kit, flotation device, and a pair of scissors to cut hair, clothing, or a pool cover if needed.
- If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first