Pool Safety

[linda allen]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Calamity Jane
Hi Amy

After 3 children and two grandchildren I have always treated my villas the same way as I would if I lived on a very busy main road, the doors are locked at all times whether alarmed or not, plus all children should be supervised if a non swimmer (or even a very young swimmer). Our villas have two locks plus security bars to stop the doors sliding across.

The majority of private owners will have provided some measure of a safety system as regards the pool area, but ultimately it is down to parents to keep a watchful eye on their children. I used body suits ( with floats in them ) when the grandkids were very young and before they could swim, they are aged 4 & 6 and they can both swim now but we constantly kept a tight rein on them before this.

I also have never heard of automatic doors in a villa
[/quote]


I think I will try the body suits for our two, they might be easier to keep on.

[blott]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by amylucinda
We're looking at renting a 4 bedroom, one in Oak Island Harbor or one in Indian Creek (actually from someone here...can I say that?)

Being the cautious mom of the times, I'm a tad concerned about the pool, having an almost 4 year old and a 6 year old, for whom this will be a new experience. I do know there are FL laws about having the door alarmed.

1) Does that apply to all doors that lead to the pool, even master bedroom doors?

2) Do the doors have automatic closing mechanisms, so if someone goes out, the door closes behind them?

3) How do you open the door?

4) How do you lock the door? Can you make it childproof?

(I know..I need to email my specific owners but for the moment, I'm kinda looking for generalities...)

Thanks in advance.[/quote]Home owners take pool safety very seriously and pool door alarms or pool fences became the law in October 2000. You may find a very few owners who do not have these if their home were built before that date but the majority of homes will have at least one of these (some have both), regardless of when the home was built.

It applies to all doors (sliding or not) that lead to the pool area but I've not come across a home with automatic door closers as this wouldn't do much for pool safety - the child gets out and the door automatically closes after them? 99% of doors in Florida which lead to the outside have two locks on them, one of which is nearly always too high for little ones to reach.

Having said that, I can't answer for your specific home owner of course so you need to contact them to ask what facilities they have in their particular home.

Accidents can still happen (as said above) so there's nothing to beat parental supervision of little ones, not only the event of them escaping through doors but also out on the pool deck and an adult must be around at all times. Also, parents need to be vigilant if their rental home is near unguarded water areas, ie lakes and streams and keep the other doors which lead to the outside locked at all times.

[markandpam]

I have an alarm fitted to the doors and as a previous posting said...it shrills very very loudly when the door is open. I also make sure that there are plenty of "plastic" glasses to take out to the pool.

Pam.

[Aiminghigh]

We've rented for about 13 years now-with 3 children who have all gone since they were babies.
I'd say that common-sense parental rules apply. Yes, you do have to keep the doors locked etc when you are not directly supervising them, but the advantages of renting a villa over a hotel(and we've done both) far, far outweigh the extra vigilance.

Hopkinson

[chrizzy100]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Calamity Jane
Hi Amy

After 3 children and two grandchildren I have always treated my villas the same way as I would if I lived on a very busy main road, the doors are locked at all times whether alarmed or not, plus all children should be supervised if a non swimmer (or even a very young swimmer). Our villas have two locks plus security bars to stop the doors sliding across.

The majority of private owners will have provided some measure of a safety system as regards the pool area, but ultimately it is down to parents to keep a watchful eye on their children. I used body suits ( with floats in them ) when the grandkids were very young and before they could swim, they are aged 4 & 6 and they can both swim now but we constantly kept a tight rein on them before this.

I also have never heard of automatic doors in a villa
[/quote]

In some States it is law to have automatic closing doors leading out to the pool area....after reading Blotts post I think from what I remember my friend who has them said was they can be made to heavy for a young child to open.....so if you go outside and close the door....a young child can't follow you.......and you can't forget to close it.....

[Cruella DeVilla]

Check with the owners what their set up is and that should put your mind at rest.
We personaly have a pool safety fence around our pool which can be left up if anyone is worried about unsupervised dips! It's in one of our pictures in the add if you want to see what it is like.

[LiesaAnna]

you have to have eyes in the back of your head with the little people!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Nostromo]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Cruella DeVilla
Check with the owners what their set up is and that should put your mind at rest.
We personaly have a pool safety fence around our pool which can be left up if anyone is worried about unsupervised dips! It's in one of our pictures in the add if you want to see what it is like.
[/quote]

That's good from a safety viewpoint, but won't a fence spoil the looks of a swimming pool? What about those retractable pool covers that we see in the movies? Probably horribly expensive.

[Cruella DeVilla]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Nostromo
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Cruella DeVilla
Check with the owners what their set up is and that should put your mind at rest.
We personaly have a pool safety fence around our pool which can be left up if anyone is worried about unsupervised dips! It's in one of our pictures in the add if you want to see what it is like.
[/quote]

That's good from a safety viewpoint, but won't a fence spoil the looks of a swimming pool? What about those retractable pool covers that we see in the movies? Probably horribly expensive.
[/quote]


It is removable Arun, so you can put it up and take it down or just roll it back in a minute or two, or if you want to leave it up one section of it folds back to make an entrance to the pool but the catch is tricky so a child would not be able to do it.

We are getting a pool cover in March but this is more to keep the heat in the pool in winter months.

[Ray&Sarah]

Our son has been drawn to water since he first started walking, on a couple of occasions he scared the life out of us when we were on holiday. Consequently his dad decided as soon as he could he would have to learn to swim, so at 4 he started lessons, he is now 15 and a very good swimmer, taking part in county events here in the UK. His dad is now a qualified swim teacher and life saver and it was very important to him that our villa pool area was safe, the pool alarm we have fitted is nice and loud and is on all windows and doors that lead to the pool, think that is pretty standard with villas that have these alarms. We are looking at having one of those fences fitted too just to be on the ultra safe side.[msnsmile2]