The National SAFE KIDS Campaign is the first and only national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury, the No. 1 killer of children ages 14 and under. More than 300 state and local SAFE KIDS coalitions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico comprise the campaign.

With many people readying their pools for the summer, now is the time to redouble efforts to prevent drowning deaths, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Many of the swimming pool deaths occur in summer months.

Close supervision of young children is vital for families with a home pool – and not just when outside using the pool. A common scenario is that young children leave the house without a parent or caregiver realizing it. Children are drawn to water, not knowing the terrible danger pools can pose. Also, just because children know how to swim doesn't mean they are safe. All children should be supervised every second while in and around the pool.

The CPSC offers these additional tips to prevent drowning:

• Fences and walls should be at least 4 feet high and installed completely around the pool. Fence gates should be self-closing and self-latching. The latch should be out of a small child's reach.
• Keep furniture that could be used for climbing into the pool area away from fences.
• If your house forms one side of the barrier to the pool, doors leading from the house to the pool should be protected with alarms that produce a sound when a door is unexpectedly opened.
• A power safety cover – a motor-powered barrier that can be placed over the water area – can be used when the pool is not in use.
• Keep rescue equipment by the pool, and be sure a phone is poolside with emergency numbers posted. Knowing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be a lifesaver.
• Don't leave pool toys and floats in the pool or pool area that may attract young children to the water.
• For above-ground pools, steps and ladders to the pool should be secured and locked or removed when the pool is not in use.
• If a child is missing, always look in the pool first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
• Pool alarms can be used as an added precaution. Look for alarms that meet the requirements of the ASTM standard. The commission advises that consumers use remote alarm receivers so the alarm can be heard inside the house or in other places away from the pool area.
• To prevent body entrapment and hair entrapment/entanglement, have a qualified pool professional inspect the drain suction fittings and covers on your pool and spa to be sure that they are the proper size, properly attached and meet current safety standards. If your pool or spa has a single drain outlet, consider installing a safety vacuum release system that breaks the vacuum to avoid potential entrapment conditions.

Additionally, CPSC offers three free publications consumers can use to help prevent child drowning: Safety Barrier Guidelines for Pools (PDF), How to Plan for the Unexpected (PDF) and Guidelines for Entrapment Hazards: Making Pools and Spas Safer (PDF). Copies of these publications can be obtained at www.cpsc.gov, by calling (800) 638-2772 or by writing to "Pool Safety," U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C., 20207.