Many code guidelines state that you can use your property fence and the back of your house as the barrier for your swimming pool. However, the fence needs to be a minimum of 4’ high surrounding your property and then attaching to the 2 sides of your home, with a self-closing self-locking gate that has a child safety locking mechanism that is at the height of 54” from the ground.
Additionally, on many areas you also need to install an in-ground pool alarm and door alarms on all doors leading to the pool area from the home that is within the code fence barrier. Please check your local codes for accurate code information.
Although you satisfy your local code guidelines, is this truly safe for your children in your home?
Following your local ordinances might not be enough. Adult supervision and the use of door alarms and a pool alarm can also prevent children from drowning or near-drowning incidents. The Consumer Product Safety Commission states that 69% of all child-related drowning’s occur when one or both parents are responsible for supervision. So supervision alone is not enough. It can and does fail.
Door alarms are mounted high on the doors leading to the pool area, so a child can’t reach them. And most come with a bypass button that can be pushed giving the user time to open the door, pass through and close the door without the alarm sounding. However, sometimes people dismantle them for many reasons such as they can’t leave the door open and use their screen door to let fresh air in. Or older children and guests constantly open the door and sound the alarm.
In-ground pool alarms sound outside by the pool and send an RF frequency to an indoor receiver that sounds as well. When using the pool, the user can put the alarm in sleep mode by pushing a button and removing the alarm from the pool. If the alarm doesn’t go back in after swimming it is useless. And pool alarms work off of a water disturbance. This means there are sometimes false alarms that can go off. Even in the middle of the night. The causes of false alarms can be, a duck lands in the pool, high wind or even heavy rain. Many users end up not using these alarms for these reasons.
Layers of Protection is the ultimate defense against child drownings. The more layers you have, the safer your children will be.
Consider this scenario, it’s the summer and you’re having a BBQ with some family and friends with young children running around the backyard. You’re going in and out of the kitchen, so you deactivated the door alarm and left the door open to use your screen door. And you also removed the pool alarm so guests can use the swimming pool. In this situation, you now rendered all of your pool safety devices useless, only depending on direct adult supervision. So your BBQ now is nothing more than a day of work. A job of Life Guarding, chasing toddlers every time they get near the pool, and more than likely constantly shouting, “Get away from that pool”.
Now your family fun area has become nothing more than a stressful chore. All that planning and designing of this oasis away from the world turned into a day of worry, shouting and chasing. It doesn’t need to be this way.
Now consider this other scenario. You have a Life Saver Pool Fence system surrounding your swimming pool. It has a self-closing self-latching gate. Adult guests can enter the pool area, and the gate closes and locks so unsupervised children can’t enter. You’re having your BBQ, you’re not worried, not stressful, and not chasing toddlers or yelling at them either. You’re just enjoying your BBQ with family and friends. The kids that are outside the fence are running around having fun because they feel protected and are free to run around safely. And even though your still constantly watching them, you feel more at ease and much less stressful. You now have achieved peace of mind, not only for yourself but for your family and friends as well.
A Life Saver Pool Fence not only provides you and your family with an important level of protection, but it also gives you the freedom to enjoy your backyard once again.
For more information and to get a free in-home pool safety evaluation, please call us today! Nassau 516-766-5336, Suffolk 631-766-5336 or visit www.poolfenceny.com.