Spring is in the air, and summer is just around the corner.  Is your Parks and Recreation Center ready for the influx of pool attendees of the newly remodeled pool?  What about after hours?  Does the pool area have adequate protections, such as fencing and alarms, to keep mischief away before it turns into a tragedy?

According to the Red Cross, “over 200 young children drown in backyard swimming pools each year.”  And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states, “Every day, about ten people die from unintentional drowning.”, CDCP also states, “non fatal drowning injuries can cause severe brain damage.” Every death and accident is a tragedy but even more so if it could have been prevented.

When summer heat is upon us, everybody will be heading to the pool.  And when the crowd goes home, the teens find their way back, still looking for relief from the summer heat.  They will be jumping the fences and thinking it is an adventure to swim in the dark of the shadows.  Sometimes this illegal trespassing activity will include alcohol, which will most likely increase the chance that someone will get hurt.

Some protections that will help include:

• Signs: Warnings posted that trespassing is illegal
• Fencing: High enough that will deter most intruders
• Lighting: To expose the illegal activity
• Alarms: To scare the intruder away and bring awareness to the illegal activity
• Cameras: To capture the intruders on film to deter the illegal activity or if needed prosecute

• The deterrent features should change the behavior of anyone seeking adventure, making the illegal activity not so “fun”.

What safety deterrent features does your pool have?  Is your pool ready for the summer rush? Don’t let the illegal trespassing risk ruin your summer.  Learn what you can do to Protect your Pool and prevent illegal activity.