Crime & Safety

Gwinnett Fire/ES Offers Water, Pool Safety Tips

Never allow children to swim alone or unsupervised. Limit access to swimming pools.

Last year, Gwinnett firefighters responded to 36 incidents of near-drowning and other water-related emergencies. Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services urges residents to swim safely this summer and offers water and pool safety tips:

  • Limit access to swimming pools and other bodies of water with locked doors, fences, or gates. Pool owners should place an alarm on the pool gate to alert them when someone enters or exits the pool and use a float line to separate the deep and shallow ends. 
  • Make sure that drains and vents include anti-entrapment covers that will not entangle the hair or body. 
  • Parents should  consider teaching children to swim at a young age. Never allow children to swim unsupervised. Designate adults to watch children during large gatherings and avoid distractions that will take attention off children in the water. Small children should never swim alone. 
  • Keep wheeled toys, such as tricycles and bikes, away from the pool deck or spa edge.

It's important to remember that a person can drown quickly in any amount of water, according to Gwinnett Fire/ES. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death in the United States. For more information, contact Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services Community Risk Reduction and Education Division at 678-518-4850.


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