Vacation Water Safety: Your Questions

Check the barriers before you book. Pool Safely (opens in a new tab) says to look for self-latching gates, pool door alarms and non-climbable four-sided fencing that keep unsupervised children away from the pool and spa, and raised drain covers to prevent entrapment. Ask the host for photos of the fence and gate if the listing doesn't show them. Remember that rentals have no lifeguards. Use the and read vacation rental pool safety.

Source: poolsafely.gov (opens in a new tab)

CPSC knows of at least 64 pool drownings of children under 15 at vacation rental homes since 2021, and 54 of them were fatal, according to Pool Safely (opens in a new tab). The agency points out that supervision matters most when children are not used to having a pool in their own yard, and that rentals do not have lifeguards. Plan who watches the pool before you arrive. See vacation rental pool safety.

Source: poolsafely.gov (opens in a new tab)

Act as your own lifeguard, even if the hotel has one. Pool Safely (opens in a new tab) says to name a Water Watcher whose only job is watching children in the water, and that parents should still watch when lifeguards are present, because lifeguards may not be able to see the whole pool. Keep young children within arm's reach, never enter a pool or spa with a broken or missing drain cover, and keep the room door locked when you're not at the pool. See vacation water safety.

Sources: poolsafely.gov (opens in a new tab), healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab)

Ask before you pay. Is the pool fenced on all four sides, separating it from the house? Do the gates close and latch on their own? Do doors to the pool have alarms? Do the pool and spa have raised, intact drain covers? Is there a locking hot tub cover? These questions follow what Pool Safely (opens in a new tab) says to check and the AAP (opens in a new tab) advice to cover and lock hot tubs after use. Run through them with the or our rental guide.

Sources: poolsafely.gov (opens in a new tab), healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab)

If you will be near a lake, river, ocean or boat, yes, or plan to borrow one that fits. The AAP (opens in a new tab) says children should always wear life jackets in, on or near natural water, and federal law requires children under 13 to wear one on a moving boat. A U.S. Coast Guard-approved jacket that fits your child now is better than whatever is available on arrival. Some marinas and beaches lend children's jackets through loaner programs (opens in a new tab). See life jackets for kids.

Sources: healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab), uscgboating.org (opens in a new tab), boatus.org (opens in a new tab)

Check the local forecast and ask locals before you swim. The National Weather Service (opens in a new tab) suggests asking your hotel or rental agency for local weather and beach forecasts, reading the beach safety signs at the entrance, and learning the local flag meanings, since warning flags aren't used everywhere and can vary by place. Swim only where a lifeguard is on duty. The NWS also notes that swimming in a pool is not the same as swimming at a surf beach. See beach warning flags.

Sources: weather.gov (opens in a new tab), weather.gov (opens in a new tab)

It can be, if you treat unfamiliar water with care. The Red Cross (opens in a new tab) says to enter unknown water feet first and to watch for currents, sudden drop-offs and underwater obstacles. The CDC (opens in a new tab) says to check whether a swim area is monitored, under advisory or closed. Choose a designated, lifeguarded area and put children in life jackets. See why lakes are not pools.

Sources: redcross.org (opens in a new tab), cdc.gov (opens in a new tab)

Make a simple plan before you leave and share it with every adult. The CDC (opens in a new tab) suggests assigning a specific adult to supervise each child when they have access to water. The AAP (opens in a new tab) suggests rotating a water watcher card every 15 to 20 minutes. Pack life jackets for children who will be near natural water, keep doors to the pool locked, and write down the address of where you are staying for emergencies. Try the and read vacation water safety.

Sources: cdc.gov (opens in a new tab), healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab)

Door alarms are a recognized layer of protection, so they can help where a door opens onto a pool. The Red Cross (opens in a new tab) recommends alarms on doors and windows that lead to a pool, and Pool Safely (opens in a new tab) lists pool door alarms among the things to check at a rental. We did not find official testing or guidance on portable alarms specifically, so treat one as a backup, never as a substitute for a fence and a watching adult. See pool, gate and door alarms.

Sources: redcross.org (opens in a new tab), poolsafely.gov (opens in a new tab)

New places change the usual safety habits. Pool Safely (opens in a new tab) notes that supervision matters most when children aren't used to having a pool at home, and that rentals have no lifeguards. Unfamiliar beaches and lakes bring currents, waves and drop-offs, and the National Weather Service (opens in a new tab) warns that pool swimming skills don't fully carry over to a surf beach. Busy days and many adults can also blur who is watching. See vacation water safety.

Sources: poolsafely.gov (opens in a new tab), weather.gov (opens in a new tab)

Name one adult at a time and pass the job on. Pool Safely (opens in a new tab) says the Water Watcher's only job is watching children in the water, with no reading, texting or phone games. The AAP (opens in a new tab) suggests passing a water watcher card to the next responsible adult every 15 to 20 minutes so everyone stays alert. Make a schedule as soon as people arrive, and keep the gate shut when no one is swimming. Print a and see how to host a safe pool party.

Sources: poolsafely.gov (opens in a new tab), healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab)

Keep it covered and locked whenever no adult is in it. The AAP (opens in a new tab) says to always cover and lock hot tubs, spas and whirlpools right after using them. Pool Safely (opens in a new tab) says to find a spa's emergency vacuum shutoff before getting in, never to use one with a loose, broken or missing drain cover, and to keep children away from drains. If the cover doesn't lock, ask the host or keep the door to it closed. See hot tub safety.

Sources: healthychildren.org (opens in a new tab), poolsafely.gov (opens in a new tab)

Before you book, send the host your pool questions and ask for photos of the fence and gate. Then pack fitted life jackets for children, a printed , and your plan for who watches when. On arrival, walk the pool area and test the gate. The turns Pool Safely's (opens in a new tab) advice into a checklist. See vacation rental pool safety.

Source: poolsafely.gov (opens in a new tab)