Pool Safety Tips from the Town of North Hempstead

With summer in full swing, it is important to review swimming safety guidelines. 

The Town of North Hempstead provided these safety tips, compiled with assistance from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

• If a child is missing, always look first in the pool. Seconds count!
• Never leave a child unsupervised in or near a pool, even for a moment.
• You must put up a fence to separate your house from the pool. The Town requires the installation of a fence at least 6 feet high around all sides of the pool, as well as the use of self-closing and self-latching gates that secure from the inside.
• Practice touch supervision with children younger than 5 years. This means that the adult is within an arm’s length of the child at all times.
• After use, securely close the pool.
• Keep rescue equipment and a phone near the pool.
• Never use a pool with its pool cover partially in place, since children may become entrapped under it. Remove the cover completely.
• Remove all toys from the pool after use so children aren’t tempted to reach for them
• Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The Town of North Hempstead offers CPR training and certification courses to all residents multiple times per year. The town sponsors the training courses with the National Safety Council Adult and Pediatric CPR and AED. Training and certification courses are held at Town Hall. Call 311 for more information.