Swimming Pool Safety Fences Vs Pool Alarms

When addressing child safety out at the backyard swimming pool there are three major reasons not to use alarms, but rather to install a pool safety fence to keep a small child safe.

Children don't respond to a door alarm or window alarm, especially once they have set the alarm off. Should anybody doubt this, try telling a three year old child not to go through a door to the pool area. An alarm tells you you're having a crisis - a pool safety fence PREVENTS a crisis. By the time the alarm sounds you already have a problem - by the time you respond, the child is in the pool. The premise of swimming pool safety is to prevent entry to the swimming pool, not allow entry and then take action. Should an adult step out the front door while a child goes out the back door chances are the adult would not even hear the alarm.

When a hardwired alarm system is installed a homeowner cannot open a door or window without the alarm going off - usually 85 decibels or higher. Therefore, many homeowners disconnect the alarm system so they can enjoy going in and out of their sliding glass doors to the swimming pool area without setting off the alarm. Once the alarm system is disconnected, there is absolutely no safety system in place whatsoever to protect a small child from a potential disaster.

Alarms give a false sense of security - the word 'alarm' should sound in the minds of children; however, this is a learned experience and does not apply to small children. Their first learned experience with pool alarms could be fatal. An adult's awareness and a child's awareness are totally different. This is why alarms do not work as a preventative measure when it comes to keeping a child from entering a swimming pool. Most children are very excited and very curious and don't pay attention to an alarm, especially if parents are not present. There is no substitute for parental supervision; however, a swimming pool safety fence has proven to be the best protection in the event no parent is supervising the child.

When States like Florida passed the Swimming Pool Barrier Code they envisioned that the barrier would consist of some type of fencing or block wall or some type of obstruction that would block the entrance of a child under the age of five years from entering undetected into a swimming pool. A removal pool safety fence seemed ideal - it is strong, it is fully removable by an adult only, and it has durability and the price is reasonable. It is the only option that creates a total barrier between a small child and the water.

A removable swimming pool safety fence should meet the needs of most families and do. Even if the homeowner does not have children living in the house, he can install the fence when the need arises (when small children are present) and then remove it when it is no longer needed. A homeowner can install the pool fence and then remove the pool fence in a matter of minutes. This method seems to fit many lifestyles and accommodates the barrier codes.

When small children are not present, the pool fence can easily be stored. Pool safety fences have a solid history of preventing children from entering the pool and it is an acknowledged fact that pool barrier fencing has save countless lives.

Again, the key to water safety is to prevent a crisis, not to manage a crisis once it's occurred. Swimming pool safety fences accomplish this goal. Today's parents know that a barrier between their child and the water is the best safety insurance possible.

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