If you have a pool, odds are you have hosted a party or two in your family’s backyard oasis.  As you may well know, there are several factors to take into consideration before inviting family and friends over to enjoy an afternoon or evening in and around the water.  We have compiled a short list to make your party prep EZ!

Clean Up

The more you do in the days leading up to your party, the more you will be able to enjoy your guests.  A wise person once said, “a man who fails to prepare, prepares to fail”.  Don’t be THAT guy!

• Call your pool maintenance team several days ahead of your gathering and let them know your plans. They can take the necessary steps to ensure everyone is able to enjoy a well balanced and clean swimming environment.  If you do your own pool maintenance, take a water sample to your pool chemical provider several days before the event.  They will test your water and guide you on what is needed to get your levels to a satisfactory status.
• Inspect your patio furniture to be sure it is in good repair. There is nothing worse that Uncle Larry plopping down in a chaise lounge and ending up on his back!
• Wipe down surfaces with antibacterial cleaner to keep everyone safe and healthy.

Safety Issues

Nothing ruins a party like an accident.  Double check your accommodations and be sure they are safe and suitable for your guests.

• Be sure to remove all items that could contribute to someone tripping and falling into the pool and put into place safeguards that will restrict unsupervised access to the pool by children and pets.
• Assign a “water watcher”. Ask party gatherers to take 20 minutes shifts watching the pool when young children are present.  This person should be sober and undistracted as they dutifully see to it that the children in attendance are safe while swimming.  If no one is up for the task, hire someone who can perform this vital function for you.
• If your party will run into evening hours, be sure to have adequate lighting to guide party-goers’ paths as they navigate around the pool area.
• Consider laying down rubber mats to help with the grip of wet, slippery feet to avoid slip and falls.
• Implement a “no glass by the pool” policy. Broken glass is dangerous and very difficult to remove from a pool.

Comfort & Conversation

• Set up cozy conversation friendly areas poolside. Not all guests are water lovers, so be sure to take their preferences and needs into consideration.
• Shaded seating is important on hot summer days. Open your patio umbrellas and consider a shade awning with seating beneath to provide some relief from warm summer rays.
• Inevitably, someone will forget their towel or sunscreen. A basket with poolside toys and essentials is a great way to make your guests feel welcome and at ease while visiting.
• Consider having coolers and other containers full of cold water. Staying hydrated is important.  While we realize there is water in the form of the ice in your mixed drink, nothing replaces the benefits of H2O!

Back-Up Plan

No one wants to think about it, but it COULD happen…A summer rain shower can put a DAMPer (pun intended) on your poolside plans.  While there is no fool proof way to avoid this, you can be prepared!

• Keep an eye on the forecast in the days leading up to your event. If rain is likely, you may consider rescheduling for another time
• If the show must go on, tents and awnings are a great way to keep the party outdoors and somewhat dry as you enjoy your company
• Keep the pizza delivery guy on speed dial! BBQ’s aren’t nearly as successful on rainy days.  A menu change may be necessary
• Pull out the board games. If Marco Polo isn’t an option, maybe Monopoly is!

After Party

Last, but certainly not least is after party clean up.  Again, reach out to your pool service provider for maintenance and cleaning.  If you are a DIY’er, head to your pool supply store with a water sample for testing.

If you are need of a pool service professional or a pool supply store, visit our website or download our app, myAPiWater.  A member of our Customer Experience Team will reach out to you with options in your area.

Pools across the country are preparing to open for the season.  Sunny days spent poolside conjure up some of our best summer memories.  To make this season not only memorable but safe, we have complied this list of helpful water safety tips.

1. Never swim alone. Teach your children to look for the “Lifeguard on Duty” sign.  If they are swimming in a private pool, be sure they understand the importance of the buddy system and how to call 911 should an emergency arise.
2. Always supervise children when they are in or around water. As a rule of thumb, a responsible adult should always be within an arm’s reach of a young child.  This rule holds true for all bodies of water.  Accidents happen in pools, lakes, streams and tubs.
3. Do not play games that involve holding breath. This can cause drowning accidents and has several other risks.  If a swimmer holds their breath too long or hyperventilates before going under water, they are at risk of passing out under water.
4. Always wear a life vest if you are an inexperienced swimmer or a young child. Pool toys such as inner tubes, rafts and pool noodles are not safe substitutes for a life jacket/vest.
5. Avoid using alcohol. Alcohol impairs judgment and reaction time which can be life threatening if there is an emergency in or around the pool.
6. Use sunscreen. We all want that kissed by the sun glow, but the suns rays can be damaging.  Be sure to put some protection between your skin and those rays.
7. Teach children to always ask permission to go near the water.
8. Even strong swimmers should evaluate their risks and take appropriate steps to insure they are safe in the water.
9. Be sure every member of your family can swim.
10. Fence pools and spas with adequate barriers. Keep patio doors locked so as not to be easily accessible by young children.

This list is by no means inclusive of all the factors to take into consideration when enjoying the water, but it is a good place to start.  For more great tips and information on water safety, visit www.redcross.org In the meantime, continue to be safe and enjoy the pool!

The Dog Days of Summer are upon us.  School is out, nightfall comes later, and the temperatures are warmer.  Naturally, children and pets alike, look forward to taking a dip in the family pool more so now than ever!  But just as we need to be mindful of pool safety for our children, we need to do the same for our pets.

Contrary to popular belief, not all dogs are good swimmers.  We know your pets are like family, so naturally you want to include them in your summer pool fun.  Before doing so, take into consideration any physical limitations your pet may have.  For example, some breeds of dogs are more “land dweller” than “sea creature” such as English, American and French Bulldogs.  If your pooch is blind, hard of hearing or suffers from arthritis or joint pain, keeping an extra close eye on them while they splash is crucial to their safety.

Another popular misconception is that is ok for pets to drink pool water.  Chlorine, algae, and some chemicals can be very disruptive to your pet’s gastrointestinal system.  Saltwater pools can cause electrolyte problems if enough is consumed.  This is not to say you should cease using chemicals to maintain your waters balance and sanitization.  Pool chemicals should be used according the instructions on the label to keep you and your pets safe.  Maintaining your pool will ensure that you and your pet are safe from bacteria, including algae, fecal matter and other harmful bodily fluids and contaminants.

Just as you do with your children, set limitations, and put safety measures in place for your pet.  Gates and fences coupled with close supervision around water in addition to training your pet on how to enter and exit the pool, can keep the pool area fun and accident free.

If you are looking for kid and pet friendly pool products, check out our EZRES Product Line.  We have products for all your residential water care needs.  You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.  We would love for you to share pictures of your pets enjoying the pool!  Post your pictures and videos with #myapipet so we can share them as well.  Stay safe and have a great summer!

Warning: This article contains content regarding the loss of a child.

The month of May is designated as Drowning Awareness month.  In honor of this, APi will share information related to drowning prevention and awareness as well as water safety tips to insure you have an enjoyable and safe summer.  To kick off this month, we would like to spotlight a foundation that we began supporting about three years ago, The Live Like Jake Foundation.  Read on for the Morrison’s story and how they took a parent’s worst nightmare and turned it into an outreach that would help families avoid a similar fate.

“Our Story:

A parent’s worst nightmare…

It was supposed to be a fun Thanksgiving weekend trip that started on Thursday, November 28, 2013 at Keri’s father’s house in Orlando where we ate lots of turkey and stuffing then stayed the night at a hotel on International Drive. We woke up and had a big breakfast at Denny’s with my dad and stepmom. We were going to go play some mini golf but got stuck in serious traffic on I-drive so we decided to skip it. We then headed over to New Smyrna Beach where Roarke’s sister Robin and her husband Jim live to finish off our Thanksgiving weekend. We woke up Saturday morning November 30, 2013 and had a great day. Robin and Jim went and got their beautiful Christmas tree and we just played with all the kids. Then just after 6 pm the last words ANY parent ever wants to hear “where is Jake?” Keri was in the other room nursing our precious little daughter Julia who was 12 weeks old at the time when we heard those words that have forever changed our lives. Jake slipped out the back door in the pitch dark and fell off the dock into the intracoastal. There was so much screaming going on because we knew he was in there, but it was so dark we could not see anything. We have never felt so helpless in our entire life knowing that our baby needed us more than ever and we could not save him. Roarke and Jim were going up and down the docks on the Jet Ski until finally Jim found Jake and the ambulance quickly took him to the hospital, but they were not able to revive him. Roarke and I were in the room with him while they tried so hard to bring him back to us. We still can remember EVERY second so clearly and screaming for our baby to come back all the well knowing that he had gone straight to Heaven. I hope that no parent EVER has to go through what we have gone through and that is why we are so passionate about drowning prevention and also helping other families who have either lost a child or have a child that has had a near drowning and is in hospital care. We wanted to share our story because we know a lot of you only know that Jake drowned but did not know how and where. We do not own a pool and do not live on the water, so we weren’t in a real hurry with the swim lessons although he did take lessons over the summer. He was not really taking to it and we were just going to try again next year when he was a little older and more cooperative. Our situation is different than most drowning cases because it was not a pool so whether his life would have been spared if he had done ISR lessons we will never know and that still makes us so sad every day thinking of it. We beg of you if you have a child that does not know how to self-rescue and is over 6 months old please please please get them in lessons. Also, when you are on vacation in a different environment please be aware of your surroundings at ALL times because it only takes a few seconds for them to sneak away. We have gone to Robin and Jim’s home countless times with Jake and although we were always nervous of the water and made him wear a life jacket while on the dock, we NEVER imagined he would go out there by himself especially at night.”

(Taken from the Live Like Jake Facebook page)

The Live Like Jake Foundation was created by Keri and Roarke Morrison after their son, Jake passed away as a result of a drowning accident. One of the foundation’s main missions is to promote drowning awareness and water safety. They do this by offering scholarships to families to provide ISR (Infant Self Rescue) classes. They also help families pay for hospital stays and funeral expenses related to drowning accidents. The money is raised through several community events as well as private donations. One of their largest events is a 5k race traditionally held in May, on Mother’s Day weekend. Due to COVID 19, this year’s race has been postponed to August 2020. Team APi will be in attendance for the 4th year in a row!

For more information on the Live Like Jake Foundation, follow them on Facebook or visit their website, www.livelikejake5k.com. If you would like to donate, checks can be sent to: Live Like Jake Foundation Inc PO Box 31652, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33420. Proceeds go to provide scholarships for self-rescue swim lessons for families that cannot afford them as well as provide financial assistance for medical and funeral expenses after a drowning accident.