Swimming Safety at R&R Pools Starts with you!

How can you keep everyone safe?

Adults or lifeguards should be actively watching children at all times while they are in a pool. Infants and little ones require an adult to be in the water and at arm’s reach, providing “touch supervision.”  For older children, an adult should be paying immediate attention and free from distractions, like talking on the phone, or cooking. Any adult left to supervise a child should have swim survival lessons, such as the one the Lifesaving society provides.

Safe Practices

Pool owners should practice these safety precautions:

• Toys should not be left in the pool.
• Do not have non related pool toys anywhere near the pool area.
• No diving in a pool.
• No running.
• Ensure everyone in the home knows how to swim well by enrolling them in age-appropriate water orientation and learn-to-swim courses from the Red Cross.
• Keep your pool or hot tub water clean and clear. Maintain proper chemical levels, circulation and filtration. Regularly test and adjust the chemical levels to minimize the risk of earaches, rashes or more serious diseases.
• Establish and enforce rules and safe behaviors, such as “no diving,” “stay away from drain covers,” “swim with a buddy” and “walk please.”

Pool Fences

Little ones are crafty and can excape through windows and even doggy doors, or sneak out an open door to get to the back yard and the pool. To stop little ones from your neighbourhood entering your pool area a proper fence (keeping inmind your fencing bi-laws) with the watchful eyes of an adult can prevent drwonings. A fence is the best way to protect your child and other children who may visit or live nearby.

Pool fences should also:

• Install a climb-resistant fence, you should not have anything alongside it that can be used to climb it.
• Be at least 5 feet high.
• Have no more than 4 inches between vertical slats. Chain-link fences are very easy to climb and are not recommended as pool fences.
• Have a gate that is well maintained and is self-closing and self-latching. It should only open away from the pool. The latches should be higher than a child can reach – 54 inches from the bottom of the gate.
• For above-ground pools always keep children away from steps or ladders. When the pool is not in use, lock or remove the ladders to prevent access by children.

Safety Accessories :

• At least one buoyant throwing aid with rope must be present and visible.
• A rescue pole must be present and visible.
• A sound signaling device must be present and visible.
• A First Aid Kit must be readily available.
• A phone must be readily available.

This is our last week of our safety month and the sale on safety equipment ends on June 30th. As promised in my last blog on safety, I posted a picture and asked you what were the ten things wrong with this picture. Has anyone come up with all the answers? Well here is the picture with all the right scenerios.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy summer, filled with lots of laughs and memories to last a lifetime. If you have any questions on safety please drop in the store and one of the girls will be glad to assist you.

Till then, be safe everyone!