Many children enjoy swimming and they create great memories by all of the experiences that they have in pools and at the beaches in Florida. However, keeping your children and their friends safe, this summer, is a serious endeavor.
Pool-related accidents can occur at any time, even when your children can swim well. Try these simple suggestions, to help keep your children and their guests safe, during the hot summer months.
Learn CPR & Teach Your Child
Data collected by the American Heart Association states that children as young as nine years old can learn CPR.
Although CPR is not part of the Florida public school curriculum, many communities elect to provide courses through other local means. Having someone in your family that can perform CPR could save a life one day.
Teach Your Child How to Swim
All family members can benefit from one another by learning how to swim. It’s never too early to start and to get comfortable around your Florida pool this summer.
Swimming also provides great cardiovascular exercise, teaches perseverance, and is an excellent activity for all Floridians to enjoy this summer. Although learning can be frightening for some children, doing so can be essential to keep all children safe when they are around pools.
Prevent Unsupervised Pool Access
One of the most effective ways to keep your children safe in your Florida pool this summer is to keep them supervised by a responsible adult. Leaving your child unsupervised or under the care of another child can be dangerous. Installing fences or locks can be effective, by preventing unsupervised pool access as well.
Keep a Watchful Eye – Even If They Are Great Swimmers
Child safety experts recommend watching your children without distractions and keeping young children close. Designating a trusted adult, with swimming and CPR capabilities, to supervise a limited number of children in your pool could help keep them all safe. It is also important to watch all children, especially when they are playing near and around pool areas.
Another preventive safety measure is to enact the buddy system. Although the buddy system still requires children to be supervised, having your little swimmers swim in tandem could help prevent accidents from happening.
In the event that a child is in danger and needs help, it is important to make sure that assistance is provided as quickly as possible. Those milliseconds could make the difference between life and death.
Keep Your Safety Equipment Stocked and Close By
The pool cover, pool fence, and pool drain could become hazardous when proper safety precautions are not taken. They all should be inspected & regularly tested by an expert. Rope & float dividers can help children stay in the area of the pool that matches their swimming level.
Having life jackets or other floating devices available could help to save your children from unforeseen accidents. In addition, having a first aid kit handy could be a life-saver.
Also, a shepherd’s hook or life hook can be used to help save children from drowning. These are just a few of the most essential safety tips and tools for Florida pool users.
Establish Pool Rules With Your Children
Approximately 87% of all children, who are under the age of five and who drown, do so in a backyard pool.
Establishing pool rules and enforcing them can be pivotal in keeping your child safe this summer. Small children can be quick, and drowning can be a silent killer, so the rules that you create and utilize from experts are essential to keep your pool and the area safe for all.
Below are some clear and concise pool rules that child safety experts recommend:
- No swimming without a trusted adult’s supervision
- No pushing, fighting, or horseplay in and around the pool
- No running next to the pool
- No diving
- If someone is in trouble, ask and scream for help, if necessary. Do not wait until it arrives.
- If you have to use the bathroom, walk slowly to a restroom and do not use the pool or run.
Maintain a Clean Pool
Keeping your pool clear of debris could help prevent incidents of drowning. Trash, debris, and other things floating in your Florida backyard pool may prevent your children from using your pool in a safe manner.
It’s essential to cover the pool when it’s not in use and it should be cleaned often in order to maintain a safe pool for your children.
Contact a Swimming Pool Accident Attorney Today
It is important to make sure that your homeowner’s insurance policy includes liability coverage for all claims & lawsuits that could result from incidents/accidents in and around swimming pools. While inconsequential accidents can happen, other incidents can result in injuries and even in tragic deaths. It is important to protect your assets, by having the right insurance coverage, in the event of an accident in or around your home pool.
There are some policies that do not provide coverage for pools and you may need to do research and shop around to find the right coverage to fit your needs
In the event that your child is injured at or near a friend’s pool and the injury is caused by the negligence or the carelessness of the pool owner, a Florida swimming pool accident attorney could help to protect you and your children’s rights this summer. The right negligence attorney can help to ensure that you recover the compensation that you deserve in the event of an avoidable pool accident.
Contact Schrier Law Group today, for a free consultation.
We can be reached at (800) 700-Paul.
