A swimming
pool in the yard can be very dangerous for children.
If possible, do not put a swimming pool in your
yard until your children are older than 5 years.
If you already have a pool, protect your children
from drowning by doing the following:
Never leave your children
alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.
You must
put up a fence to separate your house from the
pool. Most young children who drown in pools
wander out of the house and fall into the pool.
Install a fence at least 4 feet high around all
4 sides of the pool. This fence will completely
separate the pool from the house and play area
of the yard. Use gates that self-close and self-latch,
with latches higher than your children's reach.
A power safety cover that
meets the standards of the American Society
for Testing and Materials (ASTM) adds to the
protection of your children but should not
be used in place of the fence between your
house and the pool. Even fencing around your
pool and using a power safety cover will not
prevent all drowning's.
Keep rescue
equipment (such as a shepherd's hook or life
preserver) and a telephone by the pool.
Do not let your child use air-filled "swimming
aids" because they are not a substitute for approved
life vests and can be dangerous.
Anyone watching young children
around a pool should learn CPR and be able
to rescue a child if needed. Stay within an
arm's length of your child.
Remove all
toys from the pool after use so children aren't
tempted to reach for them.
After the children are done
swimming, secure the pool so they can't get
back into it.
Remember, teaching
your child how to swim DOES NOT mean your child is
safe in water.