Water and Pool Safety

Translations:

Person playing with a child in a yellow, inflatable water tube. The child is wearing red sunglasses. Text reads: Supervised Fun Makes Water Safe for Everyone. Summer Fun - Play it Safe

Summer months are filled with fun, festive activities like trips to the playground and beaches, pool parties and backyard barbecues. The ACS Office of Child Safety and Injury Prevention encourages parents and caregivers to take a moment to familiarize themselves with potential hazards and how they can prevent injuries to children.

When you think about places where kids are around water, you may think of recreational areas such as pools, lakes, or oceans but it's important to also keep in mind areas in your home like bathrooms and buckets where kids can get into water.

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old and the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children 19 and under. Children less than a year old are more likely to drown at home in the bathtub or a bucket.

Use these tips for water safety at home, whether your kids are in bathtubs, backyard pools, or around buckets:

Pool and Water Safety Tips

Watch kids when they are in or around water, without being distracted. Young children can drown in as little as an inch of water, so it's important to keep them within an arm's reach of an adult.
Empty tubs, buckets, containers and kids' pools immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children's reach.
Close lids and doors. Keep toilet lids and doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed when not in use.
Install fences around home pools. A pool fence should surround all sides of the pool and be at least four feet tall with self-closing and self-latching gates.
Stay close and be alert!
Learn CPR and basic water rescue skills. It is important to know how to respond in an emergency without putting yourself at risk.