Category Archives: Pool and Spa Safety

Pool and Spa Safety

Pool Safety Tip — Proper Supervision Defined

1 Comment

Supervising children during pool time play is only one of several important steps parents and caregivers should take to help prevent accidents and drownings in the backyard swimming pool.  But, what does proper supervision really mean?

Adequate supervision is active supervision.  The designated “water watcher” should keep his or her attention focused on the children in the pool at all times.  Books, cell phones, conversations with friends, and other distractions should be put aside until another responsible adult takes his or her turn providing supervision.

Accidents can happen in a split second, so keeping both eyes on the action in a swimming pool is essential to ensure safe swimming.  Learn more about proper pool supervision in the following video produced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign:

Holidays and Gift Ideas, Pool and Spa Chemicals, Pool and Spa Equipment, Pool and Spa Maintenance, Pool and Spa Safety, Pool Opening

New Year’s Resolutions for Pools

1 Comment

Now that 2011 is coming to a close, have you started thinking about what your New Year’s resolutions will be?  If you own a backyard swimming pool, will any of those resolutions include a plan to open up your pool sooner in 2012 rather than waiting until the swimming season has long begun?

Part of what makes this kind of resolution successful is to start planning early for opening the pool.  Take the time now to check your existing stock of pool chemicals, and keep an eye out for off-season sales so you can nab these necessities at the best prices.

Take a look, too, at your pool equipment to evaluate whether it may be time to replace or upgrade items like the pool pump, pool heater, or pool covers.  Test your pool alarm while you’re at it to be sure that it is still in good working order.

New Year’s resolutions like these can be accomplished easily and with little stress involved, especially if you enlist the help of family members.  Make a short list of tasks you’d like to accomplish in order to get your pool opened in a timely fashion, and stick to it.  Before you know it, the warm weather will return, and you’ll be ready to relax by the poolside instead of scrambling to complete pool-opening tasks.

Relax by the Pool

Holidays and Gift Ideas, Pool and Spa Safety, Pool Fun

The Only Sport That Can Save a Life

Comment

Did you know that swimming is the only sport that can save a life?  By learning how to swim, or by strengthening your existing swimming skills, you have a much better chance of staying safe in the swimming pool.  Lessons for adults and children are available year round at many community centers, YMCAs or YWCAs, and Red Cross facilities.  Now is the best time to improve swimming ability because there’s plenty of time to learn this vital life-saving skill well before swimming season begins again.  

If you like to give meaningful gifts for the holidays, consider giving swim lessons to your favorite water-loving adult or child.  Swimming lessons make a unique, long-lasting, and life saving gift.  It would be hard to find any other gift that offers benefits like that! 

For more information about the importance of swimming lessons and knowing how to swim, watch this short and helpful video from the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign.

Hot Tubs and Saunas, Pool and Spa Safety

Ensure Safe Swimming on Your Winter Vacation

Comment

Are you planning to take a vacation to an indoor water park over this winter break, or will you be staying at a hotel equipped with a pool?  Did you know that many public swimming facilities are still not in compliance with the 2008 Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act that requires public pools and spas to replace old, outdated, and dangerous drain covers with newer, safer drain covers?

Non-compliant drain covers can cause entrapment of hair, clothing, and body parts, so ensuring that the pool or swimming facility you visit this year has complied with the law is essential before you or your kids jump in.  So, how can you tell if the drain covers in the pool or spa you will be enjoying this season are safe?

Learn more about safety drain covers for pools and spas in this helpful and informative video created by the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Pool Safely campaign.

Pool and Spa Safety, Pool Closing and Winterizing, Video

How to Measure For a Pool Safety Cover Video

Comment

Pool Safety Cover

A few weeks ago on this blog, we gave you video instructions on how to install your pool safety cover, but what if you NEED a safety cover? Measuring can be tricky if you have a non-traditional shaped pool. Check out the video below for detailed instructions on how to get the proper measurements to ensure that you get the perfect cover for your pool!