Apart from all the fun the family can have it’s a great way for everyone, kids and adults, to stay in shape.

However, owning a backyard pool is also a big responsibility and not just from a “keeping it clean” point of view. Making sure that your pool is as safe as possible is essential. Here are some steps you can take to make your pool a safe place for everyone to have fun, especially younger swimmers.

Fence it Off ? If there are kids in the house ? or even if they only visit occasionally ? your pool should be fenced off and gated. Most young children who drown in pools wander out of the house and fall into the pool. Experts recommend a fence at least four feet tall, with slats close enough together that kids cannot squeeze between them. The gate should be secured with a good lock and you may also want to consider installing an alarm that will alert you indoors if the gate is opened.

Get a Pool Alarm ? Ask your pool maintenance company or swimming pool installation company if your pool is new about installing one of the many great pool alarms that are on the market right now. These alarms are designed to go off whenever anyone jumps or falls into the pool and they have already saved hundreds of lives.

Be Prepared ? Even though the vast majority of us carry cellphones today we still have house phones as well. Sadly mainly a child has come to harm when their supervising adult left them alone in the pool “for just a minute” to answer it. Keep a cordless phone outside or even consider having an outside extension installed. Doing that will also mean in the event that something does go wrong someone can call for help right away. Keeping some basic lifesaving equipment like a life preserver and or a shepherd’s hook poolside is a good idea as well.

Institute Diving Rules ? This applies as much to adults as it does to kids. As a general rule if yours is an above ground pool diving should be off limits altogether because it is simply too shallow for diving to be safe at all. If, on the other hand you have an in ground pool diving can be permitted but only from a proper board, not the sides of the pool.

Rules and Constant Supervision are Key ? One mistake that adults make is assuming that just because a child is older and has been taught to swim he or she is “drown proof”. No one is drown proof and if horseplay is allowed in and around your pool even teenagers and adults can get into trouble. Kids should be supervised by an adult at all times and grownups should not be permitted to run around the pool’s edge . » Read more: Backyard Pool Safety