It is hot outside and the spirit of summer is in the air! All of our sparkling swimming pools are looking more and more attractive by the day. They’re certainly starting to fill up with native Floridians and visitors alike.
Pool areas in resorts and residential apartment complexes become very active this time of year. Pool season starts now, peaks in July, and continues until school starts back up in late August (though we see swimmers throughout the year). Those of us working in the Disney, Kissimmee, and other tourist-heavy areas have already seen an increase in pool traffic. Our goal as Orlando and Kissimmee security guards every year, of course, is to have zero accidents and incidents.
Security guards working around pools have several functions:
- Log people in to keep non-residents or unregistered guests out
- Make sure safety rules are being followed
- At night, lock the pool and keep the area secure
If you’re in the position to hire security guards, it’s important to make sure they are trained in handling emergencies and are familiar with essential life-saving skills. This is especially true when there is heavy pool usage due to the number of visitors or because it is swimming pool season.
Pool Safety By The Numbers
The worst-case scenario is a drowning accident. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death in children ages 1 through 4. Last summer (2014), the media reported ten drowning deaths in Florida. This is simply too many.
The most important pool safety tips are below.
- Teach children how to swim. This is the surest way to minimize drowning risk. There are a myriad of community programs, some very reasonably priced or even free, that teach children pool survival techniques.
- Secure the perimeter of the pool. All pools – residential, resorts, hotel and motel, school, apartment – should have fences, period. If there is heavy pool use, hire security personnel, including lifeguards and security guards.
- Keep children away from drains. These limb-hungry openings are sometimes strong enough to trap youngsters.
- Learn life-saving skills. If worse comes to worse, the use of water rescue, CPR, or other emergency response may become necessary. Look into local programs to get certified.
Remember, it doesn’t take long or too much water to drown (all it takes is a small puddle). It’s better to be prepared than to wait until after something happens, when you only have seconds to respond. Keep your eyes on your kids at all times to ensure the pool is about nothing but fun, fun, fun!