Cactus Village Community

Pool Safety Rules

Jul 10, 2003

Swimming rules help assure that pools remain safe for kids: It takes only moments for a child to drown, often with no sound of warning. Here are 10 swimming pool safety rules from the National Safe Kids Campaign and the National Safety Council:

1. Surround your pool with at least a 5-foot-high childproof fence with latching gates, and add a pool alarm for more protection.
2. Never leave kids unattended around the pool, and designate a swimming adult to watch over children in the pool.
3. Teach kids to swim. Enroll them in classes when they?’re ready, usually by age 3.
4. Teach water safety habits such as no running, pushing or dunking in/near pool.
5. Use Coast Guard-approved life jackets to keep kids afloat (don?’t rely on inflatable toys).
6. Remove toys from the pool area when not in use; toys left nearby can attract unsupervised children.
7. In case of an emergency, make sure key telephone numbers are posted nearby (also keep rescue and first aid equipment on hand).
8. Learn to swim and get certified in infant/child CPR to ensure that you are equipped to handle a drowning emergency.
9. Teach children about the dangers of deep and shallow ends of the pool (unless they are good swimmers).
10. Don?’t let your kids jump or dive into the shallow end of the pool; make sure the water is at least 5 feet deep for diving to be safe. . . ☺