The Bottom Line: When Pool Fencing Isn’t Enough

By Chief Dennis Compton
April 2004

If your community has a building or residential code addressing “barrier requirements,” or fencing, around private swimming pools, chances are the requirement is intended to protect against unwanted access from outside the property. That’s a good idea, but it doesn’t go far enough for many of the homes in your community. For families with toddlers, it is also essential to protect the pool area from access by the little ones who live there.

According to the University of North Carolina Injury Prevention Research Center, four-sided fencing is the only drowning prevention intervention for which convincing evidence exists. Here’s why it works: Four-sided fencing establishes a complete barrier around the body of water, isolating the home’s doors and windows from direct access. When used properly, the fence’s self-closing and self-latching gates help keep the integrity of the safety system intact.

In some cases, this is a local code compliance issue. For others, it is an educational issue. Providing information about four-sided fencing is essential either way. As you put together your community drowning prevention programs and educational materials this spring, consider incorporating the following key fencing messages for private residences:

• Pool fencing should be at least five-feet high, and difficult to scale (a chain-link fence is relatively easy to scale, as a child can use the links as foot holds)
• The fencing should be four-sided, completely surrounding the water area.
• The back of the house is not the fourth side. If the house opens into the pool area, young children can gain entry with potentially deadly results.
• A self-closing and self-latching gate should be part of the fencing system. The gate should be child-proof (in other words, a child cannot manage the latch independently).
• Pool gates should never be propped open for any reason.
• Drowning can occur in only a few inches of water. Be aware that hot tubs, ponds, fountains and even bathtubs, toilets and buckets also present a drowning hazard to little ones.

Local Action Item:

Contact fencing contractors in your community: Make sure they are aware of four-sided fencing and safety gates, and provide them with your pool fencing safety information and other drowning prevention materials for use with their customers. Fencing contractors may also make great funding partners for your educational activities.

When small children are around water, they need to be monitored and kept safe. Constant supervision and full fencing will provide the best protection. Read more about drowning prevention

Chief Dennis Compton
A 34-year veteran of the fire service, Dennis Compton was the Fire Chief in Mesa, AZ and Assistant Fire Chief in Phoenix, AZ. He now serves as an Executive Advisor within many fire service organizations, and is a leading author of books and training manuals. Chief Compton is recognized as a national expert on emergency response and public safety, and he serves on the Home Safety Council Board of Directors. Compton is also active with the International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA) and the U.S. Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI), among other groups.