Pool Safety Offers Unique Challenges

Home pools can be fun and a great way to cool down. But they can also be potentially fatal as some 300 children under the age of 5 drown in pools each year and more than 2,000 are injured. Medical treatment can run as high as $300,000 or more. Adults can also drown or suffer serious injury.

Keep your pool safe and fun. A few simple rules can prevent the vast majority of pool-related accidents.

Adult Supervision Is Essential

Children who drown generally had wandered into an unsecured pool area. Many communities require fencing at least four feet high around the entire pool. If one side of the pool is close to the house, doors leading to the pool must be locked or alarmed to alert a parent.

Some pool owners rely on power safety covers instead of alarms. These may be convenient, but they have to be able to support two adults and a child. They must also be closed when adult supervision is not available.

Even young children can be quite ingenious, so vegetation, tables, chairs and toys that children can move next to a pool or fence to climb over for access must always be removed.

As an additional security measure, gate latches should be self-closing and self-locking and on the side facing the pool, inaccessible to reaching small hands.

Ladders and fence-in steps leading up to an above-ground pool should be removed.

Children move quickly and should always be supervised near a pool. 77 percent of drowning victims were out of sight for less than five minutes. Toys are bright and attractive to young children. Collect all toys from the pool so that children don’t wander after them while you’re not looking.

Be aware that inflatable underarm water “wings” are not life jackets that float an unsupervised child. Children can drown with these devices.

Children are often attracted to the filter inlet. Keep children away from these as they can draw young children under water and possibly drown them.

While pool parties may involve alcohol, be aware that alcohol and swimming don’t mix. Never allow adults who have been drinking near the pool.

Summer Storms

On hot, humid days, storms may brew quickly and unexpectedly. To prevent electrocution, evacuate the pool at the first sign of an electrical storm.

To avoid tragedy should an accident occur and an ambulance doesn’t arrive immediately, be sure an adult in the pool area knows basic CPR techniques.

Most pool safety practices are commonsense measures. When pools are opened each year, be sure to review safety procedures with all adults in your household who will be hosting or supervising pool-time activities.

Homeowners insurance may not be sufficient to protect you from liability associated with pool accidents. Consult with your Hartland Insurance agent so you understand the limitations of your homeowners insurance policy. You might want to add an umbrella policy, which is special additional coverage that could protect you following a serious accident.

For more information about how to protect your home and car against current and emerging risks, contact Hartland Insurance Group.