Get Your Swimming Pool Safe and Ready for the Summer

Temperatures are soaring, Memorial Day is just around the corner and summer is almost here. This means that it’s time to get your swimming pool safe and ready for summer fun. Each year, our Orange County swimming pool accident attorneys represent clients who have either been injured or have lost loved ones in drowning or near-drowning incidents involving swimming pools. A number of these tragedies and accidents are preventable.

Here are a few things that can help get your pool ready for the busy summer season.

Safety First

If your house opens directly into a pool, install a door alarm to alert you when a child opens it. If you don’t already have a fence between your home and the pool, consider putting one up. Children tend to wander and find their way into the pool even if they are out of sight even for only a minute. Make sure the electrical wiring in the pool is safe in order to prevent shock or electrocution.

Check the Fence

If you have a fence and a self-closing gate around your swimming pool, check to make sure that the spaces between each of its pickets and between the bottom rail and the ground are no more than 4 inches apart and the fence is at least 5 feet tall so children and animals cannot squeeze through or climb over to get into an unattended pool. Make sure the self-closing gate is in good working order.

Pool Drain Covers

If you cannot look at your pool’s drain covers, you won’t be able to see a distressed swimmer under the water or a person entrapped on a drain. Your pool water needs to be clear at all times. Make sure that your pool drain covers are not broken or chipped and remind children not to play near them because there is the danger of them getting sucked in or trapped.

Safety Equipment

Every pool should have two important pieces of safety equipment: a life preserver that can be thrown to help struggling swimmer stay afloat and a safety hook to pull people to safety. It is also a good idea to have a phone by the pool while swimming so if you need to make an emergency call, you can do so quickly.

A Few Other Things to Remember

Nothing beats adult supervision when kids are in the pool. If you are having a big pool party, hire a lifeguard or two to watch your guests. It’s well worth the expense. We hope you have a safe and wonderful summer!