Home security and home swimming pools
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009The heat has rolled in, and it’s not going anywhere soon. With the heavy and humid summer months upon us, it is time for everyone in the family to put their swimsuit on and take a refreshing dip in the pool. Lucky are those who happen to have a pool in their very own back yard—something sure to draw in lots of friends and acquaintances looking for some reprieve from the scorching heat. Having a home swimming pool is a real joy in this regard, though from a home security point of view it also raises certain safety questions, and any home owner with a pool on their property needs to be active in guaranteeing the wellbeing of all.
The first thing that needs to happen is that people need to be made aware of the safety concerns when enjoying the pool and the surrounding area. Sitting down with family members to explain the rules in depth and the reasons behind those rules is fundamental, as everyone living there should be fully up to speed on the issue; also, it’s necessary to have a quick talk with any other people that come to use the pool that aren’t members of the family. Having a sign up near the pool reiterating the rules is a good idea, too.
The basic home security rules for the pool are that there is no running allowed, and secondly that diving head first is only allowed in the deep end (if there is one; otherwise it should be totally prohibited). Thirdly, children should never be allowed to swim or be near the pool on their own; only once a child has demonstrated advanced swimming talents and have surpassed a certain minimal age is it alright for them to use the pool alone. Fourthly, there should be absolutely no pushing or pulling at all—falls caused because of this behavior can be very bad if not fatal.
It’s best to have a fence surrounding the pool area, with a child-proof lock on the inside, standing at least 4 feet tall. You can have your home security system configured so that doors leading to the pool can trigger the home alarm, which may not be such a bad idea. Ultimately, just make sure to talk about pool safety rules in depth and beginning at a young age for your children: the more they understand, the better off everyone will be.