Backyard pools can provide many hours of fun, especially for their kids. These are simple steps that families can follow to keep their backyard pools safe.

1. First off, there is no substitute for active supervision. Whenever a child is in or around an open body of water, they should have your undivided attention. At this time, all other distractions should be avoided.
2. Start slow with babies. You can start introducing babies to the water when they are about 6 months old. Don’t forget to always use waterproof diapers and change them frequently!
3. All kids need to be educated about swimming safety. Swimming lessons are a great tool for this. Educating them on the difference between swimming in a pool vs. an open body of water such as the ocean, a lake or a river is imperative.
4. Take time to learn CPR. It will give you tremendous peace of mind and is better to know it and not need it, than need it and not know it.

Not only do you need to make sure they are safe in the pool, the also need to be safe around the pool.

1. Take extra steps around the pool. Make sure that your pool has a fence surrounding it to prevent your child from wondering into the pool.
2. Install a door alarm, a window alarm, or both, to alert you should your child wonder into the pool area unsupervised.
3. Educate your children about the dangers of drain entanglement and entrapment. Teach them to never play or swim near drains or suction outlets. 
4. Regularly make sure drain covers are secure and have no cracks, and replace flat drain covers with dome-shaped ones.