Backyard pools are the most common place for young children to drown. Here’s how to keep your family safe this summer

A family in Ajax was devastated last Tuesday after emergency crews pulled their three-year-old daughter from a backyard pool. Officials said the child had drowned in the pool.

Four days later, another child - this time a three-year-old boy - drowned in a backyard pool in Oakville while he was a attending a birthday party.

The tragic incidents are a sobering reminder of the safety over private and backyard pools, which the Ontario Lifesaving Society says are the most common places for children under five to drown.

Here's what an expert recommends to keep your family safe while ensuring your kids can still have fun this summer while learning important life-saving swimming skills.

Are backyard pools dangerous for kids?

According to the society's latest data, private backyard pools account for a third of all water-related deaths in children under five, and are responsible for 12 per cent of all drownings, regardless of age.

There's basically two issues that we see" with young children in backyard pools, said Stephanie Bakalar, a spokesperson for the Lifesaving Society of Ontario. One is a lack of supervision when they're in the pool swimming and the other is gaining access to a pool when they're not meant to be there."

According to the organization's stats, 63 per cent of fatal drowning victims under five were left alone near water; of those supervised, 92 per cent drowned when their watchers were absent or distracted.

Young children are particularly vulnerable in backyard pools because they have a lack of fear and a lack of respect for the water. They haven't learned to be cautious," Bakalar said. So as parents, it's really important that we are educating our children about how to be safe around the water."

How to make your pool safe for children

One of the most important tips when taking young children swimming is to always make sure they are supervised, Bakalar said: It's of the utmost importance that you know who is watching the water and who is supervising the children."

On top of actively watching the water, the supervisor should ideally be in the water with the kids, within arms reach - especially if they're toddlers, she continued.

If you have to step away and go to the bathroom or get some sunscreen on, you need to find someone else to take that role," Bakalar said. Don't assume that because there's a lot of adults around that everything is going to be OK."

Young children, particularly swimming novices, should also be wearing life jackets when in or near the water.

Fence off your pool - it's the law (at least in Toronto)

Outside of supervision, Bakalar recommends installing layers" to your pool security - like properly fencing off your pool on all four sides to prevent children from sneaking in.

You want a fence that is entirely enclosing your pool with self-locking gates," she said. The next thing you want to do is install door or gate alarms so when you open your door, it's going to sound an alarm."

You'll also want to check your local bylaws for private pools. Most municipalities have their own regulations - Toronto pool owners must ensure theirs are properly fenced off and obtain a city permit, for example.

Finally, Bakalar recommends going through the society's pool safety checklist to ensure you're being as safe as possible; recommendations include keeping the deck clear of obstacles or tripping hazards, having proper signage (like Do not enter without permission" or no diving" in shallow water) and regularly testing the water chemistry and chlorine levels.

How to tell when kids are drowning

It might seem like an absurd question, but most drownings are very silent," usually lacking any splashing or calls for help as the victim will be underwater, Bakalar said. The signs can look very different depending on the person, but there are some common identifiers in children unable to swim.

They often look like they're climbing a ladder or maybe flapping their arms like a bird, trying to push themselves back to the surface because they don't know how to swim," she continued.

It's also important to remember people can drown even in shallow water: If someone isn't resurfacing and taking proper breaths consistently, intervene."

How to teach kids to swim

To prevent incidents, Bakalar recommends getting your kids used to swimming and water's dangers early: They're never too young to learn about water safety," she said.

Instead of starting their lessons in your family pool, consider taking your kids to a public facility supervised by trained lifeguards, Bakalar continued: Less than 1 per cent of drownings occur in lifeguard supervised settings."

She said it's also highly encouraged" to enrol your kids in swimming lessons - like the Lifesaving Society's Swim to Survive Program, which teaches primarily children the basics of surviving a fall into deep water.

If your kids don't have a little bit of respect for the water, then they may just access the water when you don't want them to."

Kevin Jiang is a Toronto-based staff reporter for the Star's Express Desk. Follow him on Twitter: @crudelykevin