Last Updated on April 19, 2017
When school is out and summer appears, there is nothing more refreshing and fun than cold drinks and swimming in the pool.
Sadly, there are also a few newspaper articles announcing the deaths of toddlers who have fallen into, and subsequently drowned, in pools.
In every state, there are laws requiring homes with pools to have fences with gates around built in or above ground pools. The fences are required to be at least 4 feet high with latches at the top to prevent young hands from reaching them.
Besides being a safety law, common sense deems having a fence around pools as being the most important safety aspect of pool ownership. Fences will keep neighborhood children out of a backyard pool, an important idea, if the homeowners themselves do not have children of their own. Homeowners are liable for accident deaths if children make their way into their pools even if not invited or otherwise known to have access. Having a fence around a pool will ensure the privacy and security of pool ownership.
Even vigilant parents need to have fences around pools to make sure kids stay out of the pool area unless and until a responsible adult is able to oversee them. Fence gates should never be propped open. The sad stories of accidental drownings remind us annually of the importance of this aspect of pool ownership.
Other products are on the market to help ensure the safety of children in pools. These products include door alarms which will sound if a door with pool access is opened. Water alarms will sound if an object over a certain weight is detected falling into the pool. Other pool alarms will sound if underwater motion is detected.
While no product is foolproof, the most important physical safety feature of owning a pool is a high fence around it. Parents or other family members should always know where their toddlers are at any given time. Adults supervising children in the pool should not leave them even for a second.
Do you need a pool fence? Contact Us!
