Swimming pool safety tips

Sun., June 1, 2008

Joel White Spokane Home Builders Association

School is out and summer is finally here! Jumping into the backyard swimming pool is a great way to cool off and enjoy time with friends and family.

While the pool is a great place to have fun and relax, it is an unfortunate reality that drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children nationwide.

To help you ensure your backyard pool is safe the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals offers these tips for additional “layers of protection”:

•Fencing: Isolate the swimming pool with a minimum 4-foot-high enclosure to temporarily close off a pool, spa, or hot tub not being used when children are visiting.

•Safety Covers: Install an impenetrable casing that completely covers the pool, spa or hot tub to prevent access to the water when there is no supervision.

•Alarms: Get an alarm! They are available for doors, fences, and as a clip-on for children, to detect unwanted entrances to your pool, spa or hot tub.

•Rope and Float Lines: Place a rope or float line across the pool to let swimmers know where the deep end separates from the shallow end.

•Rescue Equipment: Locate equipment such as a life ring or shepherd’s hook near the pool in an easily accessible spot, and ensure they are kept in good condition. These can be used to pull someone to safety when in trouble.

•Posted Emergency Information: Post CPR information and warning signs, as well as the emergency telephone number — 911 — near the pool, spa or hot tub.

•Outside Telephone: Keep a cordless or poolside telephone nearby so you don’t leave children unattended while you answer the phone. It’s also a good idea to have one handy to summon help, if needed.

These are great ways to help ensure that your family remains safe while enjoying one of the summer’s most popular activities. It is important to remember, however, that these should not replace adult supervision. When children have access to any body of water, a designated adult should always be alert and aware.

For more tips from APSP on maintenance and safety tips for pools, spas and hot tubs, visit them online at www.apsp.org.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.