Thursday, May 28, 2009

Pool Safety This Summer…Follow These Tips!



Here is a sad but true statistic…more than 300 children die each year in pools and spas each year. An additional 3,000 kids, five and under, suffer serious injuries at pools and spas (both statistics are reported in the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s new 14-page report.)


What are ways to prevent these horrible statistics? Follow these pool safety tips, provided by CNN and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

- Make sure all pools (public and private) have fencing around them. You don’t want children to be able to get into a pool once a pool is closed or without adult supervision.
- There should always be constant adult supervision of children in and around water.
- Lobby for public and semi-private pools to install new, safer drain covers that prevent entrapment incidents. If you own the pool yourself, it is your responsibility to see that all drains are properly covered with these safe drain covers.
- Remove all toys from pools so children will not be tempted to reach for pool toys and fall in.
- Practice touch supervision for children five years old and younger. You should be within one arms length of your children while they are swimming at all times.

Pools are a lot of fun, but remember to play it safe in and around pools to prevent accidents and injuries.

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