Barriers

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports most young children who died in residential pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight for less than five minutes and were in the care of one or both parents.
  
  Pool barriers are vitally important to pool safety. Install a fence around the pool that is at least 4 feet high. This fence must completely encircle the pool and separate it from the house and the play area of the yard. Make sure the gates are self-closing and self-latching and that the latches are higher than a child's reach.
  
  Place patio tables and chairs far away from the fence so children can't use them to help them climb over the fence.
  
  A power safety cover will add another barrier to access to the pool, but it should never be used in place of a fence or left partially open. A child could enter the pool and become trapped under a partially open cover.
  
  

Alarms

• Do not count on the gate and pool cover to prevent drownings. Install an alarm on all doors and windows that lead to the pool area. These alarms will alert you if a child is heading out to the pool. Do not ever ignore them.
  
  

Swimming Education

• Adults and children who use the pool should have had swimming instruction in accordance with their age. Do not allow children or adults who do not know how to swim to go in the deep end or to enter water that is above their torso. Children and adults who do not know how to swim should wear life vests.
  
  

Supervision

• No one, not even adults, should ever swim alone. Always swim with a buddy. Children under the age of 16 must be supervised by an adult. This adult should be trained in CPR. The supervising adult should be in the water if young children with little swimming ability are in the pool. Use "touch supervision" with children 5 years of age or younger. This means the adult is within reach of the child at all times.
  
  If hosting a large group of people, designate adults to be the supervisor and rotate the duty. Install a telephone or keep a cell phone by the pool, so the supervising adult does not have to leave the pool area to answer calls. Talk on the phone only briefly. Use this telephone to call for emergency help if needed.
  
  

Rescue Equipment

• Have at the pool at all times: life vests in various sizes, a life ring to throw into the pool to help someone who is struggling in the water and a "shepherd's hook" to aid someone who is struggling in the water.
  
  Do not allow children to wear play inflatable rings or arm bands in place of a life vest.
  
  

Pool Rules

• Educate children about pool rules from the very beginning. Do not wait until the summer or until the pool is built to start talking to them about pool rules.
  
  Hang a sign with the pool rules and emergency numbers near the pool.
  Pool rules to include are:
  No swimming alone.
  No running.
  No pushing.
  No electrical appliances.
  No glass.
  Keep fence door closed and latched.
  Do not play with the pool cover.
  
  Add your own pool rules to this list.