Public Pool Safety Checklist

For a safe day at the community pool — because the lifeguard watches the whole pool, but only you can watch your child

WaterWiseKids.com — Free water safety education for families

Fill in the shaded section before you leave, then keep this checklist in your pool bag.

Today's Pool-Day Card

Pool name:

Pool address (for 911):

Today's Water Watcher:

Backup Water Watcher:

If separated, meet at:

Kids & swim level:

Life jackets packed for non-swimmers? ☐ Yes

Emergency: dial 911

Pack a Coast Guard–approved life jacket for every non-swimmer — sized to the child's weight. Don't count on the pool to supply one, and don't rely on floaties.
Dress kids in bright, high-contrast swimsuits — neon orange, pink, or yellow shows up underwater; dark colors disappear.
Know each child's honest swim level — splashing in the shallow end is not the same as being able to swim, surface, and reach the wall.
Agree on the rules and the first Water Watcher in the car — before the excitement of arrival.

Find the lifeguard, the depth markers, and the exits — note where the shallow end ends and the deep water begins.
Pick a family meeting spot — a landmark to reunite at if anyone gets separated in the crowd.
Put life jackets on non-swimmers before they reach the water — not once they're already at the edge.
Set up close to the shallow end where your youngest or weakest swimmers will be.

One phone-free Water Watcher at a time — their only job is watching your kids. The lifeguard watches everyone; your Water Watcher watches yours.
Hand the role off out loud — "You're the Water Watcher now" — so there's never a gap where everyone assumes someone else is watching.
Keep non-swimmers within arm's reach — close enough to grab, not just to see ("touch supervision").
Watch the water, not your phone or a conversation — drowning is silent and can happen in 20–60 seconds.
An older sibling is not the supervisor — the responsible adult keeps that job.

Ask a grown-up before getting in — every time.
No running on the wet deck and enter feet-first — never dive into shallow or unknown water.
No breath-holding contests or hyperventilation games — they can cause a swimmer to black out underwater.
No rough play or dunking, and obey the lifeguard and the posted depth markers.
Swim only in the depth that matches your skill — stay in the shallow end until you can truly swim.

Use a Coast Guard–approved life jacket, not floaties — arm floaties and rings are toys that can slip off or deflate in an instant.
Check the fit — snug, sized to weight, and it shouldn't ride up over the chin in the lift test.
Keep non-swimmers in the shallow end, within arm's reach — every minute.
A life jacket is a bridge, not the goal — swim lessons are what let your child truly swim.

If a child is missing, check the water first — every second counts.
Alert the lifeguard and call 911 — if no guard is present, "reach or throw, don't go" so you don't become a second victim.
Start CPR if the child isn't breathing — begin right away; a 911 dispatcher will talk you through it. Learn CPR before you need it.