How can I make my backyard pool safer?

As you ready your backyard pool for summer, do more than clean it. Make it safer, too.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates 250 children younger than 5 drown each year in pools. It’s the second leading cause of child deaths after car accidents.
 
Make your pool a place that’s safe for children. Here are some tips:
 

• Build a five-foot-tall fence or wall around your pool to keep children from wandering in. Install a self-closing, self-latching gate. Move furniture away from the fence so kids can’t use it to climb over the barriers.
• Cover the pool when it’s not in use to prevent anyone from accidentally landing in the water.
• Keep rescue and first-aid equipment near the side of the pool with a list of emergency numbers. Learn CPR and encourage other family members to learn it, too.
• Clear away pool toys that might attract small children to the water when the pool is unattended.
•  If a child is missing, look in the pool first. Every second counts when a child is drowning.
•  Never install underwater lights yourself. This is strictly a job for a licensed electrician.
•  Install ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) on all outlets that power outdoor electric equipment. When a GFCI detects an electricity leak, it immediately shuts off power to prevent an electrical shock.
• Never use extension cords to power pool equipment. If you use outdoor-rated extension cords to power lights or tools, keep them far away from the pool so they don’t get wet or splashed.
• Hire a licensed electrician or qualified pool professional to check that your pool's wiring and installation is up to code and poses no safety hazards.

  
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