Family Water Safety

Remember:
Double check locks and make sure your pool security devices are working.
Safety gates are good deterrents but should not be relied upon as a sole defense.
Did you know that the average three year old can climb a pool fence in 34 seconds?

3. Self-rescue Skills. If the above defense measures fail, your baby needs to know skills for self-rescue should she find herself in a potential drowning scenario. Infant Swimming
Resource emphasizes water self-rescue skills as a comprehensive water-safety plan for
young children. ISR has successfully trained more than 177,000 babies and toddlers and
delivered more than six million lessons with a 100 percent safety and survival rate, zero
injuries and 788 documented cases of a child's self-rescue using ISR techniques.
4. Educate Others. Nannies, grandparents, neighbors, friends and all caregivers to your child should be educated on water-safety tips. Make sure they each understand the importance of these tips and that appropriate security devices are installed where relevant.        
5. Keep toys stored away. Toys are tempting for young children; never leave them outside around pool areas, ever.
6. Keep a portable phone by the pool. This phone should only be used for emergencies.
7. Keep jets aimed towards the shallow end and the steps. If your baby does fall in, properly positioned jets will create a current that will guide her toward the shallow end and the steps so she can exit the pool.
8. Keep water levels at the uppermost limit. This will help make it easier for your child to
reach the outside elevated ledge and to either get out of the water or hold onto the edge
and call for help.
9. No Diving Boards. Ever. Diving boards pose countless injury risks to young children.