With summer just around the corner, it's time to think about pool safety. Backyard swimming pools are popular across Australia, and they can provide an endless source of family fun and outdoor fitness.
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Unfortunately, they can also be deadly.
Every summer several toddlers and small children die or are seriously injured in backyard pools in NSW. Thankfully these drowning incidents are preventable. Home pool fencing and effective supervision can help reduce child drowning deaths to zero.
If you own a backyard pool or spa, take time now to ensure that it is safe. A safe pool has child-resistant barriers that restrict access to the pool area.
Pools must be separated from a residential dwelling by a child-resistant barrier by law.
Access to the pool and lack of adult supervision consistently contribute to child drownings.
The NSW Government registers pools and spas and has safety checklists at swimmingpoolregister.nsw.gov.au. You can also find information on the City of Newcastle website, newcastle.nsw.gov.au.
All beaches will be patrolled from 29 September 2018 until 28 April 2019. Lambton Swimming Centre is open for the season, Beresfield Swimming Centre opens 29 September and Mayfield, Wallsend and Stockton pools all open 1 October.