http://www.wisetosafety.com/safety/pool-covers.html Pool covers are an absolute necessity if you have a pool. Learn something about pool covers here. en-us Fri, 06 Jan 2006 15:58:08 EST Fri, 06 Jan 2006 15:58:08 EST Weblog Editor 2.0 Pool covers officially "close" the pool for the summer, but they're also important pool safety products. Multi-Taskers Most people consider pool covers necessary to keep leaves, snow and other elements out of the pool during the winter months. But they also serve another purpose--pool safety. Most pool covers have a tight fit so if a child passing by falls "in" the pool he really falls "on" the pool cover instead. Most pool covers fit so tight that even an adult needs a special tool to release the cover from the anchors that hold it in place. Of course, even if you install pool covers, pool fences and pool alarms, nothing beats adult supervision and kids respecting the pool safety rules you set into place. Here are a few pool safety tips to keep in mind as a pool owner: Don't allow children to swim in the pool without adult supervision Make sure you install a pool fence and a pool alarm to alert you when someone enters the pool area Don't use inflatable pool toys as lifesaving floatation devices Don't let kids keep their regular toys near the pool. They might fall in while trying to retrieve a toy. (Of course, if you have a pool gate and it's locked, this would not be a concern.) Don't rely on the fact that your child has had swimming lessons to protect them Keep life preservers right by the pool. (But remember, no pool safety product replaces adult supervision, which can keep accidents from happening in the first place.) Keep a phone near the pool so you can call 911 in a hurry if necessary. Don't ever partially remove the pool cover and let kids swim. They could get trapped under the end that's still covered. Know CPR The best pool safety tip we can give (if you haven't already figured it out) is to make sure there's adult supervision at your pool whenever kids are in or near the pool. Fri, 06 Jan 2006 15:58:08 EST