Keep kids safe around pools

Following the recent drowning of a toddler in the pool of an Ozone Park home, the importance of pool safety has become more evident.
Jolie Annecco, 2, was playing hide and seek last week with her mother when she wandered outside, fell into the swimming pool and drowned. In New York State, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control lists drowning as the third leading cause of &#8220injury-related deaths” for children 14 and under.
Senator Serphin R. Maltese is co-sponsoring legislation with the goal of preventing such tragedies. It would require that all residential pools be equipped with an alarm.
&#8220Most young children who have drowned in pools are out of sight for less than five minutes, and one or both parents are home at the time,” Maltese said. &#8220A pool alarm would alert parents immediately and give them the crucial seconds needed to rescue their children. While this would apply only to newly-installed pools, I would also urge current pool owners to consider having an alarm installed.”
Along with having a pool alarm, there are many other things that can be done to keep children safe.
Make sure children are never left alone near the pool.
Teach children how to swim.
Put up a four-foot high fence around all sides of the pool.
Take toys out of the pool so children won’t reach for them later on and fall in.
Keep furniture away from the pool so that children can’t use it to climb in.
Have a phone near the pool in case of emergencies. Also keep rescue equipment near it.
All adults watching children use the pool should know CPR.
Always secure the pool when it is not in use with a power safety cover or self-locking and closing fence.
Make sure gate latches are out of the reach of children.
Secure pool ladders when not in use or remove them.
Information provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Red Cross, Home Safety Council and Kids Health.