Having an on ground pool can be a wonderful thing. Not only is a above ground pool great fun, but it is fantastic exercise and can easily create hours of entertainment for friends and family. Yet an on ground pool can be a dangerous thing when precautions are not taken. A pool is a huge responsibility, drowning has been reported as the second leading cause for death in children between the age of 1-14, and most of these cases the children were out of their parents sight for less than five minutes. There is no substitute for vigilant supervision but there are steps you can take that will help ensure the safety of your family. Take it from a pool store in Michigan, these 9 steps can save lives.

1. The first and most important rule of swimming in a pool or lake is to NEVER swim alone. Even as an adult you should always have a buddy with you. It could save your life.
2. Keep your pool enclosed with a fence that is at least 4 feet high and that has slats close together so kids can’t fit through them. Ideally you want something a child can’t climb or squeeze through.
3. Spend the money and get a in the water pool alarm. These will sound if someone falls or jumps into your Midwest pool, just in case. These are easily found at any one of the many pool stores in Michigan.
4. Never leave the pool cover partially on. It must be one or the other or else someone can get stuck underneath.
5. Learn CPR. This is very important and is something everyone should know. If ever you or someone else is supervising the kids, make sure to at least know CPR if not go the full mile and get certified.
6. Be sure that your child knows how to swim, but never leave them alone in the pool. Parents commonly overestimate their child’s prowess.
7. Have strict diving rules in place. Diving is highly discouraged in above ground pools as they are too shallow. Diving in semi in ground pools should only be allowed if it if deep enough and should only be done from a diving board.
8. Keep tables and chairs away from the pool fence as we don’t want kids to use them to climb over.
9. Keep safety devices such as a rescue buoy and backboard in the pool area. It also doesn’t hurt to have a phone nearby in case of an accident.

Take it from a p; you do NOT want to skimp on safety when it comes to on ground pools. Accidents happen, even when we are careful.  You want to always be prepared to handle the situation, because it can easily be life and death. Even if you don’t have kids yourself you need to be careful because neighbor kids and even pets can be hurt. An on ground pool can be a temptation and restricting access to that temptation is only part of the job. Supervision is the key to safely enjoying your pool and hopefully with increased awareness and heightened safety measures your pool will stay accident free. Enjoy your summer and once it is time to uncover those pools remember to be safe!