PREVENT DROWNING POOL TIPS:

• Regularly check pool gate latches are secure and that spring mechanisms work properly. Regularly oil the hinges and latches.
• Don’t allow children to play in the pool area. Remove all toys, tricycles – anything a child might want to get from the vicinity of the pool.
• Post CPR instructions and the 911 emergency number in the pool area.
• Keep lifesaving equipment, such as a pole, life preserver and rope – in the pool area. Hang them from the fence so people won’t trip on them.
• Have a phone handy to the pool area. Do not answer the phone while your children are in the pool; use the phone only to call 911 should a problem occur.

DROWNINGS ARE PREVENTABLE!

• Drownings kill more Arizona children between the ages 1 and 4 than any other cause. The vast majority of all drowning deaths occur in the family’s pool while one or both parents are home.
• Never leave a child alone near any body of water, not even for “just a moment”. A child can drown in the time it takes to answer the phone.
• Install and maintain an isolation fence that separates the swimming pool/spa area from the house and yard. The fence should be a minimum of 5 feet in height. Vertical spacing of fence pickets should not exceed 4 inches. Horizontal supports should be a minimum of 48 inches apart and located on the poolside of the fence. Horizontal supports shall not be “climbable”.
• Block access to a pool with locked gates, doors and windows. Gates should be a minimum of 5 feet in height, self-latching and open away from the pool.
• Never leave a pool gate propped open.
• Keep rescue equipment in good repair and by the pool. Equipment should include life preservers, a long pole, and a float attached to a rope. Lifesaving procedures, CPR, and directions for how to pull someone out should be posted next to the pool.
• Learn CPR! A few hours of training could save your child’s life.

CHILDREN ARE NOT WATERPROOF!

• Always designate an adult to supervise children in or around any body of water, especially during parties or other social gatherings.
• Don’t expect children under the age of ten to supervise their younger siblings-they’re too easily distracted and forget to watch.
• Install a phone poolside so that you aren’t tempted to leave a child alone while answering a call.
• Consider using a sturdy, properly secured pool cover. However, be aware that a cover can also trap a child beneath it. A high-quality pool alarm to alert you if someone or something has entered the pool is very helpful.
• If you use a portable pool, only fill it with water when in use. Be sure that any permanent wading pool is covered by a standard pool cover that can’t be removed or lifted by a child.
• Take special care of containers such as toilets, buckets and other unlikely containers. Keep toilet lids down in the bathroom and turn buckets and other containers upside down when not in use.