The most current information on pool safety for kids indicates that our child pool safety efforts are working. The 2018 Drowning Report, published by Lifesaving society, found that drowning deaths for children in Ontario aged 5-14 dropped 9 percent in 2015, the most recent year available.
That’s no reason to relax your pool safety rules, however. In Ontario, roughly sixteen children die per year of drowning, and many more are permanently injured in near-drowning events. In fact, Ontario has the highest rate of drowning deaths in bathtubs—a tragedy that children are more likely to befall.
Drowning may seem like a rare event, but children are more at risk for drowning than other age groups. Their swimming pool safety is a serious matter. The good news is, drownings are on the decline because more people are implementing pool safety rules that work. You can too. The following are some key child pool safety tips to keep in mind while enjoying an afternoon around the pool this season.
Important Pool Safety Tips
Follow these water safety tips for kids:
- Fence Off the Pool: Most drownings happen when young children are unsupervised near the water. Installing a fence that is at least four feet tall will ensure that your children can’t reach the pool when you’re not around, or when you’re distracted.
- Choose a Pool Alarm: Older children may be able to get past fences, but not old enough to understand why they shouldn’t. A pool alarm will alert you if your child, or a neighbourhood child, sneaks into your pool.
- Personal Alarms: If your children are often outside, you can have them wear a bracelet alarm that goes off if they are immersed in water. This can give you the peace of mind you need to weed your garden or do other outdoor tasks with the kids outside near the pool.
- Install Backyard Lighting: Pool safety lists don’t mention lights enough. Without proper lighting, children and adults may not see obstructions, and may fall into the pool. If children become injured or disoriented in the fall, they may drown.
- Personal Floatation Devices: Even more drownings occur in rivers and lakes than in swimming pools. This may be because not all children wear personal flotation devices (PFDs). Young children, or children who are not yet strong swimmers, need PFDs even in pools. Remember that regardless if you or someone else you know is in the pool with your child, a lot can happen in the blink of an eye without a PFD.
- Have Safety Equipment: Have rescue equipment nearby so that you can rescue a child who falls into the pool accidentally or starts drowning. You should also educate yourself about the differences in CPR for children, as it is slightly different than CPR for adults simply because children are smaller.
Water safety for kids can be as simple as it is essential. Need more pool safety tools for kids? We have the safety features you need. Reach out to us today at Leisure Industries.
