Website: PoolSafely.gov
Material Excerpted From: PoolSafely.gov – Tips
The summer season is here, and we’re ready to kick off the fun with some pool and spa safety tips! No matter where you enjoy your pool fun this summer, it is essential to keep safety in mind at all times. Following pool safety guidelines can keep you and your family safer, so you can enjoy poolside fun for the whole summer.
As swim season kicks off, it is important to follow these six safety tips when you spend time at a pool or spa:
1 – Never Leave a Child Unattended.
It is important never to leave a child unattended while they are in or around water. Even if a lifeguard is present, the lifeguard may not be able to watch every part of the pool. Designating an adult Water Watcher can help ensure that each child is safe and accounted for while at the pool.
2 – Teach Kids How to Swim.
Knowing how to swim can help children feel safe and confident while around the pool. It is important to enroll your children in swim lessons in your local area and practice with them in your free time to strengthen their skills.
3 – Teach Children to Stay Away from Drains.
Never enter a pool or spa with a loose, broken, or missing drain cover. Children’s hair, limbs, jewelry or bathing suits can get caught in drains and suction openings. It is also important to find the emergency vacuum shut-off before entering a spa.
4 – Ensure All Pools and Spas Have Drain Covers Compliant with the Virginia Graeme Baker Act.
Making sure that all pools and spas that you visit have VGB-compliant drain covers is critical to the safety of your children before they enter the water. Powerful suction from a pool or spa drain can trap adults as well. Check out this video from the Zac Foundation and Abbey’s Hope to learn about the differences between a dangerous, noncompliant drain cover and a safer, compliant drain cover.
5 – Install Proper Barriers.
Fences, barriers, alarms, and covers are all essential to the safety of children around pools and spas. Self-latching gates, pool door alarms, and non-climbable fences are all great ways to prevent pool and spa tragedies. Multiple layers of protection are safest.
6 – Learn How to Perform CPR.
Bystanders are often the first to aid a drowning victim. Getting CPR-certified at your local community centers, hospitals, or by contacting the American Red Cross can help you save a life. Following these six steps will keep your family and friends happy and healthy while they enjoy poolside fun.
Ready to make sure your pool is ready for the season?
Call your Hometown agent today at 1-800-568-SAVE (7283) or contact us by email at service@hometowninsurance.com for helpful information.
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