Swimming Pool safety tips

[GinaBrewton]

Hi all, I recently had a swimming pool built by ferrari pools http://www.ferraripools.com/ in my backyard. My children love to swim in the pool all the time.But the problem is I always feel very anxious whenever I see them go towards the pool. I always make sure that they are under my supervision but I feel that this not enough. Can you tell me what are the safety measures I could follow to keep the pool more safe for the kids.Thanks

[Lee-Bee]

Kids are unpredictable. I think by far the biggest danger with a pool (or any source of water) is not children goofing off or playing rough in the water but the children going out to the water without supervision.

There have been 4-5 news cases in the last month or so with 4yr olds drowning in pools. In ALL those news reports the child was expected to be in the house (in the night or while family were inside with the child). The child, for what ever reason, felt the need to exit the house without anyone noticing and ended up drowning in the pool.

It can be as simple as the child lost a toy and thinks it's in the pool and goes to check. If they exit the house without notice then there is no one around to help when they end up in the water.

We plan to put a pool in next summer. As much as our then 4 yr old daughter understands boundaries and doesn't really push them (we have a pond now that she's known since 1 yr old not to go in) we will not trust her. The house will have sensors on all doors to chime when opened and the doors to the backyard will have alarms on them 24/7 to go off when opened. It is the only way we can ensure that she never just wanders out back when we think she is off playing/sleeping in her room.

What do you currently have to prevent any access to the pool?

[GinaBrewton]

Thanks for the reply, I have shortlisted some pool alarms and bought some safet nets. I guess noting beats full time parental supervision :)