Crime & Safety

Dix Hills Fire Department Offers Pool Safety Tips

Some important tips from the Dix Hills Fire Department.

From the Dix Hills Fire Department: 

Swimming pools are great places for families to spend time together and have fun cooling off in the summer.  Sadly, fun in the pool can also turn tragic. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of death and injury among children ages one to four. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports an average 390 children age 14 and under die each year due to accidental drowning, which can occur in pools, bathtubs, beaches, ponds, canals and other sources of water.  Injuries and death from drowning can be prevented and anyone involved with looking after children needs to be aware of the dangers associated with any body of water. Adult supervision of children in and around water cannot be overemphasized.

Whether you are in a backyard pool or a public pool, the Dix Hills Fire Department wants swimming to be a fun and safe experience and offers the following pool safety tips:

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  • Always keep an eye on your children at all times when they are in or near a pool
  • Never allow children to be alone near a pool or any water source — no exceptions!
  • If you must leave the pool area, always take the children with you or have a “designated child watcher”
  • Swimming lessons are strongly encouraged for all children; don’t overestimate your child’s abilities or assume he or she is safe in the water alone 
  • Install a four-foot or taller fence around the pool and use self-closing and self-latching gates
  • Install pool and gate alarms to alert you when children go near the water
  • Consider using a surface wave or underwater alarm — one that alerts you if anyone jumps or falls in the pool
  • Keep ladders, chairs, toys and other large object away from pool fences and barriers
  • Eliminate temptation; keep toys out of the pool and well away from the pool area when the pool is not in use
  • Have a portable telephone close by at all times when you or your family are using a pool and post the 9-1-1 number on the phone. 
  • Keep life-saving devices, such as flotation devices and a pole/hook nearby the pool at all times
  • Strongly consider learning CPR and update those skills regularly, even an understanding of basic life-saving techniques can assist you in a pool emergency
  • Don’t swim in poor weather, particularly if thunderstorms are expected as your risk of electrocution from lightning is extremely high in the water 
  • Share these safety tips with family, friends and neighbors
  • Finally, whether in a backyard pool, a public pool or at the beach, pay attention to what’s going on around you and make sure other swimmers are being safe as well

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The Town of Huntington has specific permit and fencing requirements for backyard pools. For more information visitwww.huntingtonny.gov or call the town’s Building and Housing Division at 631-351-2822. 

In the event of a fire or medical emergency dial 911.  For non-emergencies and fire department inquiries, including joining the DixHills Fire Department, call 631-499-8836.


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