Summers can get pretty hot in the United States depending on where you live and not a whole lot of people can afford to have a pool in their own backyard, but some of us are lucky enough to afford the privilege. For those of us who can afford this luxury, there are some rules that you need to follow to keep both you, your family, and the rest of the neighborhood safe.



If you decide to have a pool put in your backyard, you need to have a fence built around it, preferably a fairly high one. This is to keep your kids and the other kids in the neighborhood safe. You probably do not realize it, but if a child wanders into your yard, falls into the pool, and drowns, you are legally responsible because the area was not properly blocked off. A child drowning in your pool, whether it is your own or a neighbor's, is the last thing that anyone wants to happen, so factor the cost of a privacy fence into the cost of having the pool built. A fence also serves to keep out pool hoppers.

Your children should understand that if they are caught running around the pool, they will be punished in some form or another. The surface around the pool can be slick and you can fall very easily into it, hit your head, pass out, and drown. No matter how safe you may feel like you are running, accidents can still happen, so make sure all of the adults in your home lead by example and do not run around the pool.

Care should also be taken when storing pool chemicals such as chlorine tablets and other necessary items. These can be poisonous and you do not want children or animals getting into them.

Kids should never be allowed near the pool while unsupervised and a product called Safety Turtle can help you monitor them. A base station is purchased along with a wrist band that, when submerged underwater, causes the base station to alarm. This will let you know from a good distance away that your child has either gotten into the pool or has fallen into it.

Something else you need to consider if you have a pool at your home is learning CPR and first aid. While a lifeguard at a city pool may know these things and you feel safe there, you do not have the benefit of a lifeguard in your own home unless you learn to be one.