Your pool can be a safer paradise

(ARA) - As the weather warms, swimming pool owners look forward to relaxing around their pools with their family and friends. With "layers of protection" in place, pool owners can ensure their yard is a safer oasis of family pleasure and relaxation.

Layers of protection, or multiple barriers between the home and the pool, are the key to a safe pool season, according to the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (www.NDPA.org). This concept recognizes that supervision alone is not sufficient to ensure pool safety.

Parents watch their young children, but it's impossible to watch them every second of every day. A parent or caregiver can be distracted by answering the phone or door, performing household tasks or checking e-mail. Children are drawn to water like metal to a magnet; it only takes a few seconds for danger to strike. When a child is missing, always check the pool area first, as every second counts. Barriers help buy you those few minutes needed to re-establish direct contact when it has been momentarily lost.

Drowning is the second-leading cause of injury-related death for children ages 1 to 4, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Studies have shown that for every child who drowns, three to eight additional children receive emergency care for non-fatal submersion injuries, which can cause brain damage resulting in long-term disabilities.

The good news: Drowning can be prevented.

Numerous studies have shown that an isolation fence that separates the home from the pool can prevent 50 to 90 percent of all toddler drownings. Property-line fencing will prevent the neighbors' children from accessing the pool, but only an isolation fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate in good working order will prevent children from getting into the water without your knowledge.

You can improve the safety and security of your pool or spa with isolation fencing with self-closing, self-latching gate hardware by D %26 D Technologies (www.ddtechglobal.com). Magnetically triggered gate latches like D %26 D's self-latching Magna Latch have been shown to offer safe, reliable operation. They incur no mechanical resistance to closure, latching even when locked in the open position. Pool gates must also be self-closing, and D %26 D's TruClose hinges feature a tension-adjustable enclosed spring so gates need no hazardous external spring.

Rust-free gate hardware by D %26 D Technologies is now available under the Stanley or National Hardware brand through select Lowe's stores or on-line at www.lowes.com, and other hardware retailers.

Pool gates should be inspected frequently and adjusted for alignment and tension, to make sure they self-close and self-latch every time. With TruClose gate hinges, the homeowner can easily adjust the tension after installation with a screwdriver.

Never prop a gate open for convenience or during pool parties. It's simply not worth the risk.

An isolation fence should be the first line of defense, but other steps can provide additional layers of prevention.

* Always ensure that doors from the home are locked, alarmed, or fitted with child-safety latching devices.

* Ensure that pet doors are secured or open into an area that is isolated from the pool.

* If the house forms one side of the barrier, doors leading into the pool area should be protected with alarms that produce a loud sound when the door is unexpectedly opened.

* Power safety covers that meet ASTM standards can be very effective if closed whenever the pool is not in use. Manually operated covers tend to be left open; closing them frequently requires two adults.

* Be prepared. Ensure children in the home learn how to swim, and that adults know CPR. CPR and rescue breathing can make the difference between full recovery and brain damage or death.

For safety when children are in the pool, designate a "water watcher" to maintain uninterrupted supervision of children in the pool at all times. When not in use, keep toys and other objects out of the pool area, and don't use chlorine dispensers that look like animals or toys that will attract children. With layers of protection between your home and your pool, you can give your family years of safer relaxation and enjoyment.

Courtesy of ARAcontent