Pool Party Safety Guide

Few things can distract the mind from the intolerable Texas heat better than a backyard pool party. But pools also bring with them inherent risks, and it’s especially important to be aware of these when you have guests (especially little ones!) flocking to your home.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1-4. To prevent tragedy, the CPSC recommends certain barriers to deter unattended swimmers.

Here are a few ways to keep your pool party safe and relaxing.

Construct the Right Fence

Of course, some determined kids won’t interpret a fence as a “no” but rather as a challenge. But it’s up to parents to stay one step ahead by making sure there are no gaps that can be traversed by sneaky kiddos, or permanent structures or objects that could be used to scale the barrier. Here a few guidelines:

• Fences should be at least 4 feet tall, preferably 5.
• A fence completely surrounding a pool is safer than one in which the house serves as the fourth side.
• If there is no fence between the home and the pool, parents should install alarms on all doors that lead to the pool area. These doors should also have either self-closing/self-latching devices or locks that children cannot reach.
• Horizontal beams on fences should be spaced less than 45 inches apart.
• Mesh openings in chain-link fences should never be more than 1 ¼ inch wide lest they become footholds for aspiring climbers.

Stick to Swimming Safety Rules

Especially when you have guests in your home and kids running around, it’s important to keep everyone’s safety in mind. Here are a few measures you can put in place to ensure everyone can enjoy the party safely:

• Keep the pool deck clear. Make sure there are no toys, glass bottles, and other tripping hazards.
• Keep electrical devices away. The surfaces around your pool are bound to get wet.
• Keep safety gear close. Have a first-aid kit, ring buoys, and reaching poles on hand when people are in the water. Include scissors in your kit in case hair or clothing get caught.
• Clearly mark water depths. And indicate where it’s too shallow to dive.
• Consider other safety features. Handrails on ladders and additional childproof barriers may be a good idea.
• Keep pool floats and toys out of the water when not in use. Kids may be tempted to reach for them.
• Make sure no one ever swims alone. Adults should stay one arm’s length away from young or inexperienced swimmers.
• Never swim during rain or lightning storms.
• Invest in swimming lessons. They can reduce the risk of drowning by as much as 88 percent in children 1 to 4 years old.

Know the Safety Standards

Keeping unattended kids out of the pool prevents accidents, but bad things can happen even when people are around. In 2002, former Secretary of State James Baker’s 7-year-old granddaughter, Virginia Graeme Baker, died after getting trapped by an underwater hot tub drain.

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act, which went into effect in December 2008, set new regulations to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. Make sure you’re following the requirements of the law:

• All public pools are now required to have drains that prevent suction entrapment.
• Residential pools manufactured after 2008 are also required to include the new safety features.
• Pools built before then should be inspected by a pool professional to ensure that they meet the current standards.

Get the Right Coverage

Mike Lilley, a Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent in Celina, says Agents will come take pictures and evaluate the property in order to develop a policy that best fits the homeowner’s needs. If you have questions regarding your property insurance policy and the coverage it provides for swimming pools, it’s always a good idea to schedule time with your Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent for a 360 Review.

“It’s all relative to the property,” Lilley says. “As long as we know what the situation is, we are going to make sure that everything is covered.”

A safe pool is a relaxing one. If safety issues are addressed ahead of time, there is no reason not to enjoy a full summer of floating without a care in the world. Find out how to properly maintain your pool here.

Coverage and discounts are subject to qualifications and policy terms and may vary by situation.