Summer pool parties and cookouts are a great time for making memories with family and friends, but require an insurance-savvy host to reduce the likelihood of a homeowners insurance claim. Before making a big splash with your next gathering, follow these tips to help protect your loved ones and property this summer.
- Learn CPR! As a homeowner with a pool, knowing CPR can save lives and improve injury outcomes when is it started quickly by a trained person. Classes are available through the Red Cross, American Heart Association, and many local resources like Fire Departments.
- Supervise all activities in and around the pool parameter. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each day in the United States two children under age 14 die from unintentional drowning. Using life jackets for young or inexperienced swimmers provides safe, reliable flotation.
- Install a motion-sensed, outdoor alarm system that is triggered when movement is caught in the pool area during a restricted time. Instant notification can make all the difference!
- Surrounding a pool with a 4-foot fence with a locking gate, can be a simple deterrent for under age children or unwanted visitors from entering the pool premises. Gate latches that open outward and are positioned higher to be out of reach of small children are preferred.
- Consider a pool with a slide, instead of a diving or jump board. Statistics show increased spinal cord injuries occur when individuals dive into pools from a higher platform.
- Prevent slip and fall injuries by utilizing construction materials that provide adequate traction and minimize heat absorption around a pool, such as cement-blended spray on deck coatings, natural stone, textured wood decking, or man-made pavers. Clearing the pool area of toys when not being used is also an easy way to prevent accidental slips.