While everyone should be having fun and enjoying themselves in your pool, you can never forget about safety. Your job as a pool owner is to keep your guests safe when they’re in your pool. This means having the right rescue equipment available poolside should an emergency occur.
Take a look at our checklist to see if you’re prepared:
- Lifehook. Its name says it all. The lifehook is used to pull struggling swimmers to safety. This piece of equipment is typically made from a lightweight, but sturdy metal. It needs to be strong enough to pull someone to safety, but light enough so that you can maneuver it.
- Ring Buoy. Chances are you’ve seen one of these countless times before. It looks like a tube but is not inflatable. Having an inflatable tube will do you no good because chances are it won’t be inflated enough to provide a proper rescue. Ring buoys are usually made from a urethane foam core with a vinyl-coated nylon skin. In order to be the most useful it should have a diameter of at least 17 inches. Throw it to a struggling swimmer and they can hold on to it and you can then pull them to safety.
- Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Although the likelihood of needing an AED is slim, it is still an important piece of rescue equipment to have poolside. An AED can save the life of someone in cardiac distress. If anyone in your family has a heart condition, this is something you’ll definitely want to have. Although AEDs come with instructions it’s a good idea to receive proper training. You can contact your local American Red Cross chapter or fire department to see if they can train you.
While it’s not exactly “rescue equipment” you should always have a first-aid kit handy poolside. You never know when someone might fall and get cut or get an insect bite that needs attention. Having a fully stocked first-aid kit poolside with Band-Aids, gauze, insect sting-relief pads, and anti-septic cream will allow you to take care of guests immediately rather than run in the house and have to look for items.
Although accidents can happen at any time, you can help prevent the need for water rescue equipment by installing the proper safety equipment. Installing a pool fence is an easy way to keep everyone safe. To learn more about installing a pool fence at your home contact Protect-A-Child Pool Fence at 772-398-3400.
