EmergencyLink.com has put together this infographic to help moms be prepared for life’s emergencies-both big and small. Make sure you pin this graphic to your  “emergency preparedness” or other Pinterest boards so that you know where to find it.

I do want to add to a few of their points. Number 6 is NOT an either/or they are both a must. If you have a swimming pool please do all that you can to make it impossible for any child to enter the pool without an adult present. Using fences, locks and alarms are all very important. Even kids who know how to swim or are “water safe” can drown when panic sets in. Some drowning facts from SafeKids,org:

• Since 1999, an average of more than 815 children ages 14 and under have died as a result of unintentional drowning each year.
• Approximately 72 percent of pool submersion deaths and 55 percent of pool submersion injuries occur at a home.
• Eighty-four percent of drowning deaths among children ages 5 and under occur at a home, while 45 percent of fatalities among children ages 5 to 14 occur at a public pool.

As a former lifeguard and swimming instructor these statistics are staggering. Always make sure an adult is directly supervising all swimmers, eliminate alcohol use around the swimming pool and lock the pool area when you leave. If you haven’t built a fence yet, start looking for exotic wood for sale online and build one now.

Please, heed these warnings and be safe, your kids are depending on you.

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Living in Florida it seems we hear weekly of another child who drowned in a swimming pool. It is sad. I know how hard it is to keep an eye on one child near a pool, let alone a large group of kids. Unfortunately, I don’t believe there is a 100% fool proof way to avoid accidental drownings but, there are many things you can do raise the safety level of your pool.

Use layers of protection

• Childproof locks on all doors that lead to the swimming pool area
• Surround the pool with a fence that is at least 4 feet tall. Just make sure to contact reputable professionals who offer services like Split rail fences.
• Above ground pools-remove the ladder when the pool is not in use
• Always bring a telephone into the pool area before you swim
• NEVER leave a child unattended near a pool, even for a second
• NEVER allow a child under age 8 in a swimming pool without an adult in the pool with them
• NEVER assume a child is safe because they have had swimming lessons
• Don’t use flotation devices as a substitute for direct supervision
• Be extremely careful at large gatherings, it is easy for a young child to wander off and drown when there are lots of people milling around.
• If a child is missing, look in the pool first. Seconds count in a swimming pool emergency, rule out the pool before looking anywhere else.

Recently there have been several drownings because children got stuck to the bottom of the pool by a faulty drain cover. Check you drain cover and make sure it is intact. The new drain covers are dome shaped instead of the old flat ones. Knowing where the electrical cut-off is for your pool could save a life. If someone is caught in the drain cutting off the electicity to the pump will stop the suction and release the victim.

Swimming pool ownership is a lot of fun, but it is also serious business. Have a safe fun summer but don’t take your eyes off the pool.

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