How to Keep Children Safe Around Swimming Pools
Swimming pools can offer endless entertainment and fun for young children and teens during the summer months. However, as parents and adult family members, it’s your responsibility to ensure your young child’s safety is a top priority around water. Drowning and other swimming pool accidents are tragic events that can be prevented with proper care and precautions, and there is no better time to start than at the beginning of summer.
Murphy Falcon & Murphy as a Maryland personal injury law firm understands how important it is to do everything possible to keep your children safe. Avoid accidental injuries or death around swimming pools, and potential personal injury claims, but follow our tips down below. Read more about the importance of preventing water-related injuries and contact us if you need help!
Install a Fence Around Your Pool
Having a secure fence around your swimming pool may be one of the most important safety measures you can take to keep your child safe. Install a fence that is at least four feet tall with a self-closing and self-latching or self-locking gate. Making sure your child cannot unintentionally get into the pool can save him or her from a very dangerous situation. If you already have a gate or other barrier installed, check it every year before pool season starts to make sure it’s still secure.
Keep the Pool Area Clear
Even though you have a fence or other barriers installed around your pool, parents can also teach children to stay away from the pool when not in use. Pool toys, such as pool noodles or dive toys, can attract children to the pool area, so they should be kept away from the pool area when not in use. Teaching your children to put their pool things away after swimming not only keeps the pool area itself clear but also helps them understand when it’s safe or appropriate to play in the water.
Supervise Children
Adults should always supervise children while they are in the pool. Young children should never be left alone or unsupervised while swimming, even for a short period. It can take only a few minutes for an emergency to develop and for a child to be at risk of drowning or other serious injury. When multiple people are using your pool, or when your family is at a public pool, designate an adult to watch over the children while they swim.
Our personal injury lawyers also recommend taking turns watching the children when there are multiple adults around to avoid lapses in supervision.
Teach Swimming Lessons
It is beneficial for children to learn how to swim, and lessons are a great way to teach your kids how to stay safe in the water. Enroll your child in swimming lessons from a licensed instructor to not only get them comfortable in the water, but also to help them in an emergency. Practicing basic strokes and water safety gives your child a foundation of safety that they will use for the rest of their lives.
Invest in Floatation Devices
If you are the parent of young children and want to take them swimming, even in shallow water, our Maryland personal injury law firm recommends looking into floatation devices. Life vests, water wings, and other similar water safety devices can help your child stay afloat while they’re learning to be more comfortable in a swimming pool. Make sure any floatation device you use fits your child properly and is approved by the United States Coast Guard.
Keep Rescue Equipment Close
In addition to making sure your young child is protected with flotation devices, you can add another layer of water injury protection by keeping rescue equipment close. If you have your own private swimming pool, always keep items like a first aid kit and life preserver nearby just in case. When taking your kids to a private or public pool, remember to always have a fully-charged cell phone and have it readily accessible for any emergency.
Take a CPR Course
Emergencies are never expected and knowing CPR can save lives, especially in a drowning or other water-related incident. Parents and trusted adults can be even more prepared for emergencies by taking a CPR course offered by or through the American Red Cross. It’s also important to know that CRP techniques can vary depending on if they are performed on an adult, child, or infant, which is why taking a professional class is critical.
Save Yourself from Personal Injury Claims
Following these safety guidelines can prevent accidents and keep your loved ones safe while they’re enjoying the pool during summer. Always remember that children are particularly vulnerable around swimming pools, which is why consistent and careful supervision around pools is necessary.
Murphy Falcon & Murphy’s personal injury attorney firm can help you stay safe by providing more summer safety information and assistance with any personal injury claims. Let us help you during the hardest times of your family’s life — contact us if you need an injury attorney!