By Laura George, Little Flippers Swim
If you have a pool in your backyard, there are several steps you need to take to ensure a safe outdoor environment all year long.
Five layers of protection
The ultimate safety plan includes five layers of protection for kids in and around water. While no plan is foolproof when it comes to accidental drowning, these layers of protection are key to keeping your children safer around the water and are essential for drowning prevention.
- Install a four-sided fence with a self-latching, self-closing gate that completely isolates the pool from other parts of the home and yard.
- Remove toys from the pool after use. Toys are appealing and attractive to children and increase the likelihood that a child will take unnecessary risks to retrieve the playthings.
- Use pool alarms to alert you of any activity around the pool. Door alarms, gate alarms and surface motion detectors add extra layers of protection and provide an opportunity to hear when kids are heading into the pool area.
- Provide adult supervision. Adult supervision is non-negotiable. Assign an adult “water watcher” so there are undistracted eyes on kids in the pool. Rotate the watcher during parties so they do not become complacent in this very important job.
- Get CPR certified. You never know when this life-saving skill will be needed. In a crisis, time is of the essence and knowing how to respond quickly can save a life.
Importance of swim lessons for backyard safety
Early aquatic education is a vital component of overall backyard pool safety. Research shows that formal swimming lessons, especially for children under four years old, can reduce the risk of drowning by up to 88%.
In formal swim lessons, kids gain confidence and respect for the water, while learning lessons that teach survival skills, such as floating, turning or finding the pool edge. This can make all the difference in an emergency.
The earlier swimming lessons start, the better. This is especially important in Arizona where so many families have access to backyard pools.
Parents should choose a local swim school with certified instructors who specialize in water safety techniques. Swimming lessons are not just important for one season. Kids and parents should brush up on swim skills by enrolling in refresher lessons each year, especially before summer.
Swim safety for all ages
In the U.S., 3,500 to 4,000 people drown per year. That is an average of 10 fatal drownings per day.
Older kids and teens are not without risk around water and should never swim alone. Kids at this age are more likely to drown in natural water, such as ponds or lakes. Parents should provide constant reminders about water safety, peer pressure and dangerous activity around water as well as diving safety and the importance of avoiding unnecessary risks. Even if teens are strong swimmers, accidents can and do still happen due to horseplay, fatigue or alcohol.
Swimming is a year-round activity in Arizona. If you have a backyard pool, ensure you have layers of protection to keep your children and other children in the community safe. If at any time a child goes missing in your backyard, check the water first to be sure they are not in immediate danger. Research shows that 70% of toddler drownings happen during non-swim times.
Drowning is silent and can happen in just a few seconds. Safeguard your family by knowing the rules of water safety and making sure all children who live in your household participate in formal swim lessons each year. To find a swim school in your area, visit the U.S. Swim School Association website at www.usswimschools.org.
Laura George is the founder and owner of Little Flippers Swim in Phoenix, Arizona. She grew up in San Diego, California, and has been a life-long lover of water. Laura is married to her husband Jimmy of 21 years, and they have two daughters, Sophia (17) and Liv (15). Little Flippers currently has three Southeast Valley locations and serves over 1,000 swimmers per year. For more information, visit www.littleflippersaz.com