PENSACOLA COMMUNITY NEWS

Never leave a child alone near any body of water, even for a moment.
Never use floaties or other inflatable toys as life jackets or as substitutes for adult supervision.
Never leave toys in or near the pool, so children aren’t tempted to reach for them and accidentally fall into the water.
Keep rescue equipment, such as a shepherd’s hook or life preserver, and a telephone by the pool.
Install a fence at least four feet high around all four sides of the pool to separate your house from the pool. Any openings should be no more than four inches wide so children cannot squeeze through the spaces.
Use gates that self-close and self-latch, with latches at least 54 inches high (above a child’s reach).
Keep tables and chairs away from the pool fence to prevent children from climbing into the pool area.
Power operated pool safety covers are the safest and easiest covers to use. Solar/floating pool covers are not safety covers and do not provide adequate protection from drowning.
Keep doors and windows leading to the pool, including doggy doors, closed and locked when not in use.
Doors and windows should be alarmed to alert family members when opened.
Parents, grandparents and babysitters should learn CPR and be able to rescue a child if needed. Mount CPR instructions by the pool.
Enforce rules such as “No running, No pushing, No dunking” and “Never swim alone.”
Never consider children to be “drown-proof” despite swimming skills, previous swimming lessons or experience. Children should always be supervised while swimming.