Florida this is not, but those fortunate enough to have outdoor swimming pools still manage to take full advantage of the limited pool season.

Not that a pool comes labor or worry free, mind you. It’s a lot of work to open and maintain it.  And then there’s the safety angle, especially when it comes to keeping an eye on your children.  Well, who better to turn to than the American Red Cross. Straight from its website, they offer these important safety tips:

• Secure your pool with appropriate barriers. Completely surround your pool with a 4-feet high fence or barrier with a self-closing, self-latching gate. Place a safety cover on the pool or hot tub when not in use and remove any ladders or steps used for access. Consider installing a pool alarm that goes off if anyone enters the pool.
• Keep children under active supervision at all times. Stay in arm’s reach of young kids. Designate a responsible person to watch the water when people are in the pool—never allow anyone to swim alone. Have young or inexperienced swimmers wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
• Ensure everyone in the home knows how to swim well by enrolling them in age-appropriate water orientation and learn-to-swim courses from the Red Cross.
• Keep your pool or hot tub water clean and clear. Maintain proper chemical levels, circulation and filtration. Regularly test and adjust the chemical levels to minimize the risk of earaches, rashes or more serious diseases.
• Establish and enforce rules and safe behaviors, such as “no diving,” “stay away from drain covers,” “swim with a buddy” and “walk please.”
• Ensure everyone in the home knows how to respond to aquatic emergencies by having appropriate safety equipment and taking water safety, first aid and CPR courses from the Red Cross.

For added pace of mind, consider adding one or more video cameras to your home security system.  That way, you can keep an eye on the pool even when no one’s using it to help prevent uninvited guests from crashing the party or even your own kids sneaking back outdoors for an extra dip in the pool. For more information, contact Now Security Systems today.