The Dark Side of Pools
As much fun as pools are, they do have a potential dark side to them. When pool owners fail to (or improperly) install and utilize safety features to their pool they are unintentionally posing a HUGE safety hazard to their children and pets. While the absolute best safety mechanisms are obviously supervision and prevention, we understand that mistakes happen, and no one is perfect. There likely will be times where your child or pet is out by the pool alone – even if only because they turn into an escape artist for the afternoon and slip away from you.
For instance, PetPlace.com paints a grim picture; “Nearly 500 children under five drown in swimming pools each year. More than 2,500 children suffer permanent neurological damage in near-drowning incidents. The concern is growing for pet owners as well. An estimated 5,000 family pets drown in backyard swimming pools annually.”
With that said, you don’t need to be petrified of having a pool and a pet/child at the same time. You simply need to make sure to create multiple layers of protection so that you and your loved ones can rest easy knowing you are preventing a potential tragedy. These methods can range from pool remodeling that includes safety features, swimming pool equipment that is specialized for safety, or prevention systems.
Children & Pet Pool Safety Tips
Lucky for you, there is no shortage of options on how to incorporate safety into your pool area.
Some options include;
- Fences – You may consider making a fence a part of your pool remodeling plan. You’ll want to make sure you get a fence specifically for pools and have a professional install it to make sure it is secure and fits your custom measurements.
- Pool Resurfacing – While the dangers of neglecting pool resurfacing may not be life-threatening, they can still pose a safety hazard. The pool surface may begin to crack, or chip, causing leaks and introducing harmful bacteria to the water which may make swimmers seriously ill. In addition, you may consider a slip-resistant finish for an added layer of safety for the little rugrats.
- Nets – Pool nets can be an additional layer of protection, or an alternative if you’d rather avoid the appearance and/or deck space clutter of a fence. The net is meant to prevent children or pets from falling into the pool, so please make sure to do your research, and have the help of a professional when installing. A bonus tip: you may want to pair with pool lights so that you can always see the net (even at night) at a glance and make sure nothing is caught in it, and that there are no tears.
- Teach Them to Exit the Pool – While this is more of a prevention measure, it’s endlessly important. Both pets and children (regardless of whether they can swim independently or not) should know how to get in and out of the pool on their own. Spend some time teaching this with lots of repetition. Additionally, consider making this part of your pool renovation plans by including a shallow area (beach-entry), large steps, or a ramp in order to make exiting the pool easily accessible.
- Subsurface Pool Alarms – In the age of technology, you’ll be happy to know that there are even more discreet options for monitoring your swimming pool safety. There are many pieces of specialized swimming pool equipment that help families keep their swimming pool safe, such as a subsurface pool alarm. These alarms alert the user when there is motion detected underwater by an object with a significant amount of weight (so, not every leaf that falls in) such as a child or dog. Pool automation is a hot topic, as users discover they can clean their pool by asking Alexa to do it (by integrating the pool system into their smart home hub), however, we suggest going a step further and integrating your subsurface pool alarm with your smart home devices, so that no matter where in the home you are (or not in the home) you get an alert.
While no amount of equipment and accessories can compare to constant supervision, these added layers of protection and prevention can relieve some of the stress associated with owning a pool and having children and pets in your home. Additional prevention measures to keep in mind would be; utilizing lifejackets, teaching children and pets to swim early and frequently, storing pool chemicals in a secure hard-to-reach place, and learning pet/child CPR.
Stay safe this summer!
