Safety Equipment for Outdoor Swimming Pools

Swimming pools may serve as a source of fun for your little ones, but they also can invite potential dangers if not fitted with proper safety equipment. A shocking 23% of child drownings happen in outdoor swimming pools during family gatherings.

By ensuring that your outdoor pool is complete with protective barriers, including fences and alarms, you’ll have that much less to worry about the next time your child goes off wandering in the backyard.

We’ve compiled some pool safety devices that will provide the necessary layers of protection for your outdoor pool.

Swimming Pool Barriers and Fences

There are a couple of effective barrier types that can be installed around an outdoor pool.

A four-sided isolation fence separating the pool area from the house and yard can reduce a child’s risk of drowning by 83%. Fences that are constructed from sturdy material, such as steel rods, and equipped with self-latching gates are the most effective at keeping the little ones out of the pool.

Dome and polycarbonate enclosures cover the entirety of the pool, and as a plus, can keep critters and your pets away when unused. Make sure the enclosure comes with a childproof locking system so that your kids aren’t able to sneak into the pool.

Swim Aids and Flotation Devices

Be sure to store US Coast Guard-approved life jackets near the pool area. If your child or their friend is not quite confident with their swimming skills, you can assist them with putting on a life jacket to enter the water. Learn about the best types of safety jackets to get for your little ones.

Water Immersion Pool Alarm

It’s always a good choice to invest in an immersion pool alarm in the event that your child gets past the pool fence or gates and you are not anywhere near them to help. This type of alarm mounts to the side of your pool, and there are different alarms for both above-ground and in-ground pools.

The most effective immersion pool alarms use advanced technology that reads surface and sub-surface waves; they sense and trigger when anyone is in the water and minimizes the chance of false alarms.

Floating Motion Sensor

This type of alarm is a favorite among pool owners because of their relative affordability and straightforward usage– all you have to do is activate it and throw it in your pool!

Similar to the immersion pool alarm, the floating motion sensor uses electronic signals to measure displaced water created by the impact of certain objects. Read the packaging closely to know the smallest amount of weight the alarm will go off to.

These different layers of protection will serve to keep your kids away from pool dangers, especially when you aren’t near the pool with them. So be sure to invest in the appropriate safety equipment for your outdoor pool, and always be sure to check a couple times a month that they are working properly.

By fitting your outdoor pool with these safety devices, you’ll have taken some of the preventative measures for drowning prevention. But this is just the first step. Once you’ve secured your devices, don’t forget about the importance of pool drain safety and drowning prevention plans.