Don’t let your backyard pool become a forgotten danger

Pool party season is here but we are worried because research from The MagnaLatch® Pool Safety Report, commissioned for national ‘Check-Your-Pool-Gate Month’, reveals close to half (46%) of pool owners simply forget to check their pool area is safe, despite more than a third (38%) of families having a negative experience involving a pool such as a personal near drowning experience or having to rescue someone in trouble.

Sadly, one in five families had a child gain access to their pool unsupervised, with one in two children using a chair or another object to access the gate, while a quarter climbed the fence.

Kids Alive is once again a partner for this important campaign and we are worried pool owners’ attitudes are too casual towards backyard pool safety, especially with swimming pools responsible for 35% of drownings in the under 5s.

It only takes a few minutes to check the integrity of your pool fence and pool gates, and pool owners should be doing this several times a year at a minimum. It should be put on the calendar, it’s no excuse to forget something so important. It could save a life!

Sadly, only 32% of pool owners check their pool gates and fence every few years or less, and close to a third don’t know what they should be checking. This is despite over 81% of those surveyed saying they were planning to host a pool party this summer.

To find out what to check and make sure your pool is safe and party ready visit www.checkyourpoolgate.com.au