Swim Season With Pools By Ben

 The swim season traditionally begins right around May 1st and runs through the end of September. May is coming right up. The beginning of the swim season is a good time to take a look around your backyard and pool area, and think about all the safety issues you need to be aware of. Here are some things to consider.
Is the pool fence in good condition?  Some of the older wrought iron fencing can rust or you may have some bars missing. With all the El Niño rains we have had you need to check and make sure the rain water has not washed away the dirt under the fence leaving a large opening that one of the kids can crawl under the fence and get into the pool area. If you have the removable mesh type fencing, go around and make sure there are no tears in the mesh. Also the gate to the pool area should be self-closing and self-latching. This means if you open the gate and just let go, it should close and latch.
The best pool safety device is an adult who is paying attention to the swimmers. The best way is to pick one adult and make them the safety monitor, kind of like a designated driver. It is real easy to think someone else is watching and miss one of the kids sinking to the bottom.  Many times a child will drown during a large pool party because all the adults think someone else was watching.
After you pick the safety monitor it is a good idea to see if they know how to swim. If you have a non-swimming adult, like grandma, supervising the kids as they swim you need some tools. A body hook is always good. A body hook is a long metal pole with a two-foot hook on the end. They kind of look like a giant spoon. With a body hook you can reach out and scoop up the swimmer and pull them to the edge of the pool. Another good tool is a life ring. They are two feet round shaped like a giant lifesaver, no pun intended. You will need a piece of rope tied to the life ring. When one of the swimmers is in trouble you can toss them the life ring and pull them out of the pool.
Another item to check is the slides and diving boards. Make sure the bolts are not rusted away. They should be firmly attached and in good condition.
For more tips go to www.poolsafely.gov.  Summer and swimming are great fun. Take a few minutes and make it a great and safe swim season.
For more information, call 661-263-7503 or visit www.poolsbyben.com.