Growing up with a swimming pool made our home the hub of summer fun. We would spend countless hours each day in the water until our fingers were prune like. The running joke in the family was that I must be part fish to swim as much as I did.
Luckily in the 20 plus years in having a pool we didn’t have any accidents. Safety was a top priority and we had “Pool Rules” that everyone who wanted to swim had to follow. First being that you NEVER swam alone. The buddy system was religion. Even with a buddy there were precautions my family took to ensure that we knew what to do in an emergency.
With this weekend’s temperatures to be close to the triple digits I’m sure those who have a pool will be taking advantage of the refreshing water. This is a perfect time to think about pool safety.
According to the American Red Cross, over 200 young children drown in backyard swimming pools each year. Here’s a summary of some tips they share that could save a life.
· Secure your pool with at least a 4-foot-high fence that has a self-closing and latching gate.
· Keep children supervised by an adult at all times.
· Make sure everyone in the water knows how to swim or has life floatation devise on.
· Establish and enforce rules and safe behaviors when swimming.
· Ensure everyone in the home knows how to respond to an aquatic emergency.
Even with responsible behavior accidents do happen. It’s best to consult your Insurance Professional to make sure you have the proper liability coverage. I’m happy to assist you with that and hope you and your family have a fun and safe summer in and out of the water.