May is Water Safety Month

Pools are very exciting to children. But, they can be very dangerous to children (and adults) that do not know how to swim. That is why the month of May has been designated Water Safety Month in the United States. According to the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP), there are 10.4 million residential and 309,000 public swimming pools in the United States. With that many swimming pools in the United States, water safety has to be on the mind of everyone.

Nothing beats responsible adult supervision. You should never let children swim alone, even if they know how to swim. Here are some other tips from the annual awareness campaign coordinated by the Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP) with the support from National Recreation and Parks (NRPA), Association, the American Red Cross (ARC) and the World Waterpark Association (WWA).

You also want to make sure you stay safe around the water and pool equipment. You want to ensure that all the pool equipment is properly electrically bonded and grounded to the pool. Also, be sure to remember to cut back vegetation around your pool and pool equipment. Ticks and other pests love to harbor there and can present dangers to your children, pets and even your pool guy!

Take the necessary measures to stay safe in and around the pool. For more ideas how, visit our blog or give us a call today!

Water Safety Tips courtesy of the “Simple Steps Save Lives” Program

• Staying close, being alert and watching children in and around the pool
  • 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
• Learning and practicing water safety skills
  • Learn 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
• Having appropriate equipment for your pool or spa
  • Install a four-foot or taller fence around the pool and spa and use self-closing and selflatching 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 don’t know.
  • Maintain pool and spa covers in good working order.
  • Consider using a surface wave or underwater alarm.

For more tips on safety, visit https://www.poolsafely.gov/