Install Above Ground Pool Alarms
Alarms can be great tools for above ground pool safety, and they’re very simple to install. The alarms have sensors around your pool that detect when someone comes into the pool. They are set to go off at a weight of around 18 pounds – the equivalent of a one year old child who can walk on and wander on his own. The alarms will sound when a weight like this enters your pool so you can go see what’s happening as it happens. If your dog jumps in the pool or one of your children tries to sneak a swim, you’ll know about it.
The alarm itself is placed inside the home, similar to the receiver for your doorbell. There is a key on the sensor box that you can use to turn the alarm off and on. Just make sure you turn it on once you leave the pool area, and you’ll know when someone gets in at the wrong time.
Don’t Take the Ladder Out
We have seen this so many times here at Pool Max, and it baffles us every time. Pool owners will take the ladder out of their pools to make more room for swimming, creating whirlpools, etc., and then they just put the ladder back in before they get out. This may not seem like a bad idea, but it is a fundamental safety concern. If the ladder falls down with a gust of wind, you’re going to have to jump out of the pool to get it. If the sides aren’t stiff enough, they could bend and send you flying out of the pool in a flood of water. Keep the ladder inside your pool at all times, even if it’s a minor inconvenience.
Keep Basic Safety Equipment on Hand
You should have lifesaver rings and a first aid kit near the pool in the event of an emergency. Children who do not know how to swim should be wearing a lifejacket or arm floats to protect them from drowning in your pool. You may want to hang your emergency items on the outside of the pool, right below the rim. Of course, you will need to use stick-on hooks – not screws or nails – to secure the items and make them easy to grab in an emergency.
NEVER Leave Your Children Unattended
Children have tons of fun in above ground swimming pools, but that fun can quickly turn to trouble. Even if your children are tall enough to stand in the pool, they can easily trip in their rough housing and get hurt along the way. If you are using a small kiddy pool, you should still keep an eye on your children in case they fall down. It only takes an inch of water to drown someone, especially if they get knocked unconscious. The easiest way to avoid major problems like this is to supervise your kids in the pool. Join in on the fun, and you can make great memories together as a family!
