Our family loves the outdoors, especially hiking and swimming. We are in the process of looking for a country home with acreage and a pool so we can enjoy both. So many home plans on the market today have swimming pools in the backyard. Since we’ve never owned a pool I thought it would be a good idea to do a little research to see what is involved in pool ownership. There is a lot of information available online, from neighbors that currently own pools and from retailers that sell pools and pool products.

The most important thing that I found out from all my research is that pool safety is a must. It is something that needs be taken seriously to avoid accidents that could be deadly. In the Sunbelt states drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages from one to four and in the rest of the US it is the number two cause of death. These statistics from the National Center for Injury Prevention definitely drive home the importance of safety first.

When children are involved, adult supervision is a given or even better with a large group of people designate “water watchers”. These are people that scan the pool area and can react quickly if someone is in trouble or are doing things that could lead to injury, such as diving in the shallow end or running on the pool deck.

Items that can be purchased for pool safety are numerous. One of the most important item is isolation fencing that is at least 4 feet high. This needs to surround the pool area and have an entrance gate with proper locks placed high on the fence. The best choice is a magnetic type lock with key code. This will prevent you from being locked out of your own pool area. A padlock or key lock does offer complete security as long as you remember where you left the key. If not, it may keep you out! Once inside the pool area there are motor-powered pool safety covers that can be placed over the water when no one is using it. There are pool alarms that can be located underwater and will sound when anything has fallen into the pool. If you install this type of alarm make sure you put the receiver where it can easily be heard both indoors and out. It is also important to install alarms and child locks on doors and windows that have direct access to the pool.

Some common sense things that need to be remembered are to keep rescue devices near the pool and easy accessible, have a cell or cordless phone near the pool for emergencies and also if young children are in the pool you are not distracted and have to leave them unsupervised to answer it, place chemicals in a storage area that children cannot reach, store all pool toys in a cabinet or tub so they don’t lure children into the area and into an unattended situation. Last, but not least, have your family, friends, caregivers and anyone that plans to use the pool enroll in a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) class. This is a class that invaluable to saving lives, whether you have a pool or not. I checked with my local Health Department and they said if you get enough people together they will conduct the class on site.

Now that I have completed my research I feel that I am ready for pool ownership and the responsibilities that come with it. When searching for our new country home I will definitely take the time to make sure the pool area is safe or can be made safe without too much extra expense out of pocket.