Many people enjoy having swimming pools installed at their homes. Pools are great for aerobic exercise and recreation, particularly during warm months. Pools have been consistently popular among children for a long time, so it’s no surprise that many families have above-ground and in-ground pools installed at their homes. However, for these pool owners in particular, pool security is of the utmost importance. As fun as pools can be, getting a pool installed means having a large body of water right next to one’s house, with all that that implies. Parents need to take the necessary precautions.
Parents should absolutely never allow their children to swim alone at home or at a commercial swimming pool even if there is a life guard, for one thing. However, parents shouldn’t count on their children listening to their warnings against using the pool without parental supervision. Often times, the best prevention methods simply involve parents making it difficult for their children to swim in the pool in the first place unless they’re around to monitor everything.
Many parents have pool fences installed, so there’s a barrier surrounding their pools. As such, it will be harder for people to break into their pool areas, and harder for their children to get there without a parent present. Pool fences can often be decorative and stylish as well, giving parents another reason to use them. Pool covers should always be used when the pool in question is not currently in use. The pool covers can help keep out animals, insects, and pathogens, making the pool both safer and cleaner for anyone that plans to use it. The best pool covers will also make the pool temporarily unusable, meaning children won’t be able to swim there without the necessary adult supervision.
Another newer device for pool security is the pool alarm. Pool alarms can be somewhat disruptive in the case of false alarms, but they can also prevent a wide range of problems. Some homeowners may be liable if someone sneaks into their pool and hurts him or herself. Naturally, pool alarms can also prevent pool accidents for families that have small children at home. For children below the age of five, drowning is one of the primary causes of fatalities. Few young children have properly learned how to swim, even if they have started swimming lessons, and their respiratory systems are underdeveloped. Children also lack the foresight to avoid putting themselves in situations where they are likely to drown.
Many people are confident that they would be able to notice someone drowning, even if they weren’t watching the pool at the time. Most people think that drowning is characterized by loud and frantic thrashing, as well as yelling for help. However, there is a reason that professional pools employ lifeguards that are required to sit and watch the pool at all times. Parents could be indoors, not knowing that their children were playing near an unguarded pool until it was too late. Drowning can happen relatively quickly and quietly, and nearly drowning can have nonlethal but still very damaging consequences for children.