Summer is here, along with days with your kids at area public or private pools. It’s very important to practice pool safety with children.

While lifeguards are trained to watch out for all swimmers’ safety, it’s important that parents watch what their kids are doing in the pool. If you’re an alert parent and know what to watch for, you can help ensure  that a lifeguard never needs to dive in the pool after your child.

“Hopefully, parents are watching their kids, too,” said Jill Toennis, aquatic coordinator for the Cincinnati region of the American Red Cross [to Cincinnati.com]. “It takes a lot of eyes to watch little kids. They’re quick, and things can happen in an instant. It’s a team effort to watch the water.”

Every summer there are fatal accidents at area pools, both private and those with lifeguards. Lifeguards help save lives every day, but they are not babysitters and are not a substitute for a parent’s watchful eye. For young children, a parent should be within arm’s length. Also remember that flotation devices are not a fail-safe, and children wearing them still need to be watched.

You are the best judge of your child’s behavior. You will be able to recognize panic in your child before a lifeguard can, and you are also the best defense against reckless behavior, such as running or unsafe play in the water, which can lead to accidents.

It is recommend that you arrange swimming lessons for any child that is going to be in the water. Again, it is not a guaranteed defense against drowning, but the more comfortable and capable your child is in water, the safer he or she will be.

WLWT has provided a handy list for pool safety for parents that applies especially to families with backyard pools (even tiny ones), housing complex pools, or those visiting friends home pools. Some of these tips can be applied to your public pool or swim club, too.

• All caregivers should learn CPR.
• Never leave a toy in or around a pool.
• Never leave children alone in or near the pool. An adult should be within arm’s length, providing “touch supervision.”
• Swimming lessons are recommended for children ages 1-4 years. New studies suggest that these children may be less likely to drown if they have had swimming lessons. Teaching your child how to swim DOES NOT guarantee your child is safe in water.
• Make sure there is a telephone by the pool in case of an emergency.
• If you use an inflatable or plastic pool, make sure you dump the water out of the pool after each use and turn the pool upside down when finished.
• Install a fence at least four-feet high around all four sides of the pool. Four-sided fences can cut the drowning risk in half. Pool covers and pool alarms are not a substitute for fencing.
• Make sure pool gates self-close and self-latch at a height small children can’t reach.
• Keep rescue equipment nearby, including a shepherd’s hook (a long pole with a hook on the end) and a life preserver.
• Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as “floaties.” They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children a false sense of security.
• Teach children to never run, push or jump on others around water.
• Teach children never to swim alone.

Read More:

• Cincinnati.com: Parents urged not to let guard down at pools.
• WLWT.com: Pool Safety Tips
• City of Cincinnati — Aquatics and Pools website.
• Cincinnati YMCA

Other Posts

• October 30, 2009 -- Delays in Receipt of $8,000 Tax Credit
• January 13, 2012 -- 649 Stable Gate Dr., Florence, KY 41042
• May 19, 2009 -- Cincinnati Among America's Best Bargain Cities
• October 6, 2009 -- Filing for the Energy Tax Credit