Pool safety devices to keep your pool safe and fun.
Drowning is the leading cause of death in US children 1 to 4 years of age according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
There are several devices that can help prevent children from entering unattended pools and they can be the difference between life and death.
Let’s take a look at some of the more common ones such as safety covers/nets, fences, accessories, and alarms.
Swimming pool fencing
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a child safety pool fence can reduce the risk of a child drowning by 83%!
As a matter of fact, some states even require owners to have fencing around their pools by law.
Types of fences
Fences can be metal, glass, wood, plastic, or vinyl and they are typically 4 to 5 feet tall and can either be permanent or removable.
Some fences can be installed DIY but others may need to be installed by a professional as part of the pool build or afterwards and fences are available for both above ground pool safety and inground pool safety applications.
A pool safety fence is a sure bet when it comes to beefing up your pool safety, but they have one vulnerability and that’s the pool safety gate.
There have been instances where fence gate locks failed or weren’t properly locked and a child was able to open the gate.
Even so, fences provide a great layer of safety and an even better one when they are paired with another device such as, you guessed it, an alarm.
Alarms
Pool safety alarms come in different styles/functionalities for both above ground and inground pools and are an easy and affordable way to add a secondary layer of protection.
You can use a gate alarm to let you know if the gate is opened, you can use a pool water alarm to alert if something or someone falls into the pool or if there is a disturbance under the water, and you can even get an alarm for children that they wear like a watch.
Regardless of which one or how many you get, alarms are a great solution and should be a no-brainer, like having a smoke detector.
Go get you an alarm, or even better get two!
Covers and nets
Covers and nets are kind of like winter clothes and summer clothes.
When we talk about covers we are talking about winter clothes and when we talk about nets we are talking about summer clothes.
Each has their place and you could find that you need both, just like your wardrobe.
Pool Covers
Pool safety covers are usually associated with winter as they are used to keep debris out of your pool.
However, your pool can be a danger when it’s closed and should be secured to keep children and animals out of it.
Pool covers come in both mesh and solid styles of various different forms and fashions and some are even automatic.
If you live in colder climates where you close your pool, consider a good solid cover that also covers the safety aspect (how about that pun, got it covered.)
Oh, and no more blue tarp with bags of sand, you know who you are.. 🙂
Pool Nets
A pool cover net on the other hand is for use when temperatures are warmer.
They too come in many different forms and fashions and some can even be made specifically for free form designed pools.
Depending on the style, they can be challenging to put on and remove, but once you get the hang of it then it’s not that bad.
The other really neat thing about these is that they work well for halloween decorating.
You can make or buy a spider and use a smoke machine to create a really cool party scene (plus you do not have to worry about anyone falling in the pool if they have too much of the magic potion – bonus!!)
Safety accessories and pool safety tips
OK, back to the wardrobe analogy.
We all know that we have to accessorize with our wardrobes, and just like with our fashion accessories we need pool safety accessories.
There are many different types of accessories and some depend on who will be using the pool.
General accessories
- Life preserver rings – Not only do these make great rescue accessories, they make really good decorating accessories too.
- Safety ropes – these are used to mark the deep end and people can grab them if needed.
- Safey Hook – This is also known as a shepherd’s crook and can be used to rescue someone struggling or someone that may just need a little help. Plus you can use it during pretend shows with the kids.
- Fresh Sunscreen – This one sounds simple but guess what, sunscreen has an expiration date! As part of opening your pool you should throw out the old and bring in the new.
- Signs – Consider a sign with pool rules to go with the life ring (yep, another good decorating idea.)
Children’s accessories
- Inflatable arm bands or life jackets – Please, please make sure they are in good condition and that they are something that makes the little one want to wear them. No one wants to be seen in a faded arm ring from the 90’s, well maybe some do but safety devices that old are not good anymore.
- Hats – If little ones will be in the sun then consider a hat with a big brim to keep the sun off of them. That makes for great photos too, who doesn’t love a picture of the little in a fashionable hat?
- Shaded floats – For the toddlers use a pool float that has a shaded canopy on it to keep the sun off of them as they burn easily.
Sutro really does care about our customers and their families and friends and we strongly encourage you to make safety a top priority when enjoying your pool.
We will help you keep your pool looking beautiful and we are counting on you to keep it safe and fun – Starting with your pool water chemistry!