An accident can happen at any time, especially around water. The best way to ensure your child’s safety is to have multiple protection layers in place. After all, the only safety measure that matters is the one that saves your child’s life. Protect yourself and your family with these top five pool safety tips.

  1. Never Leave a Child Unsupervised Around Water

Regardless of if you’re at the beach, in a pool, or even in the bathtub, never leave your child alone around water. Babies and children can drown in as little as one inch of water. Make sure your full attention is on your child and other things do not distract you. Of the 69% of drownings that occur every year under parent supervision, 39% of adults were doing chores instead of watching the child, 18% were socializing with friends or other family members, and 9% were on their phones. Even if you turn your back for just a few seconds, it can be life or death for your little one.

  1. Lock Up Access to Pools

One of the very best ways to prevent a pool drowning is to lock up access and install alarms to any entrances to the pool. A Life Saver Pool Fence is four feet tall with self-closing, self-latching gates and is proven to save lives when installed properly. Alarms can also be installed on pool access doors in addition to using locks high up and out of the reach of children. It is even possible to install an alarm in the actual pool that will go off in case of an accidental immersion.

  1. Learn to Swim

Ensuring that your entire family knows how to swim well is an extremely effective drowning prevention measure you can take. Babies can start learning to swim, with the assistance of a parent, as soon as they can hold up their own heads. Anyone, baby, child, or adult who is not an experienced swimmer, should wear or use a pool safety floatation device.

  1. Be Prepared for an Emergency

A child can drown in a matter of seconds. In case of an emergency situation, you can better their chances for survival if you take life saving courses like CPR or basic first aid. If possible, have your whole family take one of these courses, or even better, become certified. Teach children about pool safety at an early age and what to do in case of an emergency. Also make sure there is a telephone close by to your pool for quick access to 911.

  1. Be Drain Cover Compliant

Avoid tragedy by drain entrapment and make sure there are no broken or damaged drain covers in your pool or spa. The suction from a drain can pull in jewelry, hair, and bathing suits, which may cause drowning if the wearer of these items cannot break free. Ensure your pool or spa drain covers are compliant with the Pool and Spa Safety Act and keep your family safe from harm.

By following these safety tips and teaching them to family and friends, you can help prevent drownings. Don’t let someone you love become another statistic. Practice pool safety, prepare, and inform yourself.