Check Your Pool Gate Month – Perfect Pool Parties

Perfect Pool Parties TM

www.checkyourpoolgate.com.au • www.kidsalive.com.au

Welcome to summer!

The holidays are here and it’s time to celebrate with family and friends.

The sun is shining, the pool water is just right, the food is fresh and the days are long! What more could you ask for?

To make sure your summer parties are a hit – and as safe as possible – we’ve teamed up with the party experts to make sure everyone enjoys the festivities.

What’s not to love about a summer pool party!?

To make your party memorable, you’ll need more than a few tired decorations and a couple of bowls of dip. The secret, say our professional party planners, is all in the small details that make a big impact.

Whether it’s a small gathering, the extended family or you’ve invited all the neighbours, our party guide will help you be the “host with the most” - without breaking a sweat. Read on to discover some simple ideas for your ultimate holiday celebration.

Let the good times begin!

The perfect pool party is a safe one, so let’s start our event by making sure your pool area is ready for guests.

POOL GATES

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Gate should open outwards, away from the pool Latch release knob at least 1500mm above ground level Gate must be self-closing and self-latching Gate hinges should be rust-free and bind-free Gate carries reliable, tension-adjustable hinges Latch cannot be key locked in the “open” position Latch cannot be disengaged using implements Gate latch cannot be disengaged by jolting or shaking Gate will shut securely from any open angle or force Gate complies with all Australian Standards for pools

POOL FENCES

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Fence panels should be secure and in good working order There should be no gaps or holes in the fence Check for missing, loose, or rusted fence screws Gap under fence to ground should be less than 100mm Objects that a child could climb on should be removed Remove all toys from the pool so they are not tempting Lock all pool chemicals in an area well away from children IMPORTANT: Information above is supplied and expressed by D&D Technologies in the interests of consumer and public safety. For specific details or copies of Australian Standards relating to gate and fence safety please contact Standards Australia in your nearest city, or by calling the national office on 1800 035 822, or visit www.standards.com.au

ONLY 56% of pool owners have the best gate safety protection in place.

MagnaLatch® ALERT

The ultimate MagnaLatch for safety!

A magnetic child safety gate latch with in-built electronic visual and audible alarms. Key lockable.

MagnaLatch® Series 3

Our regular, time-honoured magnetic child safety gate latch with advanced locking features.

Key lockable.

MagnaLatch® Side Pull Lockable

Glass pool fencing – the modern trend.

TruClose® Hinges

The MagnaLatch® Glass Hardware Kit has lockable and non-lockable latch options and will work on 8 or 10mm thick glass. There are models that will fix to round and rectangle posts and, all latches are small and unobtrusive. It’s easy to protect your family with the best gate hardware no matter what your fence is made from.

A smaller, general-purpose magnetic gate latch for metal or glass pool or household gates.

Key lockable.

Adjustable, self-closing hinges for child-safety or general-purpose gates. Available in a range of models to suit gate materials and regular or heavy duty applications.

TruClose Hinge Safety Cap Helps prevent toddlers using the bottom gate hinge as a climbing foothold.

Glass fences can also offer the best gate latch security with two MagnaLatch® ‘Side-Pull’ options available.

The Vizage™ comes in two finishes, brushed or polished, and are made from marine-grade stainless steel.

They mount to the glass gate from inside the pool fence ensuring a sleek finish with no visible fasteners.

Planning the perfect party Party planner Shenae Gleeson, from Flourish Events (www.flourishevents.com.au) knows just how to make sure her guests enjoy themselves. She shares her simple tips to help you make sure your party runs smoothly.

In order to make your party a success there’s a lot of preparation that needs to happen before the big day.

“Before you make any decisions about your event,” says Gleeson, you need to settle on a theme. “ Do you want casual or formal?

Once you’ve made your choice, take some time to brainstorm what you’ll need to prepare to create that ambience.”

Get the party started: your party checklist ✔ Save the date Make sure there’s nothing conflicting. ✔ Set the time.

Do you want a brunch, lunch or dinner? ✔ Food. Will your guests be served sitting down, BBQ or simple canapes? ✔ Theme. Will your party have a theme or focus on a specific celebration? ✔ Send out the invitations! Once these details are set, press send on the email or pop them in the post so that your guests know the style and type of party you’re having and can prepare for it. Invitations should be sent between 4 –12 weeks in advance.

Set the budget You may have dreams of a Christmas-theme party complete with fake snow and real reindeer, but the realities of your budget may hold you back.

“Your budget will really determine what you can do,” says Gleeson. “You can’t do much until you know that.

Once you’ve settled on a budget figure you’ll then be able to decide your style and begin to choose the food and decorations.” She recommends allocating 40% of your budget towards catering costs.

Establish the location After you’ve determined how many guests you intend hosting, you can then decide where you will host them.

Inside or outside?

“Look at your available space and determine how many people you can comfortably fit in that area – if you have an indoor-outdoor flow, this can increase the available space you have.”

Prepare the menu The space you have available for your party may help you determine what sort of food you’ll serve, and how.

“Determine whether you want your guests to sit down, serve themselves at a buffet or stand up – cocktail-party style,” says Gleeson When you know how much money you have to spend, and the space to be used, you’ll be able to get down to the nitty gritty, including planning the food and drinks.

Be realistic when it comes to the food you’ll be serving.

Don’t try to impress your guests with unobtainable ingredients and outlandish serving style.

Instead, focus on providing enough food and drink so that nobody goes hungry or thirsty!

Buy or borrow what you need Then it’s time to get realistic: “What sort of equipment will you need to serve the menu and drinks?” Gleeson asks. For instance, if you have your heart set on a cocktail party, but only own a few jam jars to serve drinks, you’ll need to hire some champagne glasses (at the very least).

Count your cutlery, plates and serving platters; hire them if you don’t think you’ll need to use them again. If you are using a caterer, they’ll be able to provide you with what you need for a fee. Otherwise, seek out supplies from cheap homeware stores. Stick to white, to make sure the colours match, even if the pieces don’t. If your budget doesn’t stretch to new plates, glasses and platters, consider how to do this more cost-effectively – ask your guests to bring their own wine glass, or even contribute a platter to share.

The best parties are those which flow seamlessly. With careful planning and keeping to your budget, your guests will be guaranteed a great time!

Create the perfect party place Using colours, lights and space correctly can make all the difference when hosting a successful party.

Here are five pointers to remember when prepping your party space.

1

Set the scene The secret to the best parties?

According to Shenae Gleeson, lighting is everything. “The right lighting can transform any area: think fairy lights, festoon lights, LED fairy lights and battery powered lights.

These can create a beautiful ambience without the need to spend too much money.”

Aim high and string the lights in any backyard trees, along the fence, ceiling, and banisters. Your guests will be transported to another world.

2

Plan party games Depending on your guests’ ages, you may need to plan ahead and prepare some party games.

“Backyard games are great for kids; you can buy giant Jenga or Connect Four games, pick-up sticks, coin toss, Pinatas, or ball games such as Bocce are ideal for some fun, competitive rivalry. If your party is an informal get-together for kids and adults, water pistols or water balloons can be a lot of fun.”

3

Let’s get this party started The right music can also make all the difference to the success of your party.

“Spend some time curating a party play-list and set up speakers so that the music can be heard throughout designated party areas,” Shenae says.

(Take a look at our DJ music recommendations on the next page.)

4

Permits and licences It’s not all fun and games when it comes to party planning.

Sometimes you will need to seek out any permissions or licences you may need.

These include applying for permission for extra parking (if needed), licences and permits to erect a marquee (if using) and being considerate to your neighbours by alerting them to the possibility of noise late at night. Of course, you can get around the last issue by inviting them along!

5

Have a ‘just in case’ plan Our beautiful Australian weather can be unpredictable.

Reduce your stress levels by making a contingency plan in case of rain or wind.

“You can’t control the weather, but you should have control over the logistics of your party,” says Gleeson.

It may be simpler to plan the logistics of the party to be held inside, such as serving the food, drinks, and seating. If the weather is clear then guests will naturally head outdoors and you can easily move some supplies, such as a drinks trolley, outdoors.

The perfect party playlist We asked DJ Conleth Prosser, one half of Night Butter, for his top five party tunes to help your guests get their groove on:

1. Bambi, Prince 2. Down to Earth, Flight Facilities 3. Superstition, Stevie Wonder 4. Everyone’s A Winner, Hot Chocolate 5. Pizza Guy, Touch Sensitive “Ask your guests to contribute by requesting they send in their own top five tunes,” says Prosser.

“You can use a free streaming service such as Spotify to arrange your music. Link it to your speakers and set and forget.

“Everyone can be involved. Get the kids dancing with a game of ‘Statues,’ or encourage them to make up their own dance moves to a song.

They can entertain the adults with a concert, with some children dancing and others using any instruments available.”

Top décor tips

5 Quick Christmas decoration tips

1. Use your fence, doorways

and stair banisters to hang tinsel and decorations.

2. Use tablecloths with a Christmas print (or Christmas colours)

3. Place Christmas-themed

centrepieces throughout your buffet, drinks trolley and elsewhere throughout the space, such as the mantlepiece, or in pot plants.

4. Put up your Christmas tree!

Go as over-the-top as you like for true festive spirit.

5. Inflatable baubles or paper

pompoms are simple, cheap and effortless ways to add some colour and celebrations to your room.

Most homeware and department stores stock these.

How you decorate your party space depends on whether it’s a daytime or evening event and the space you’re holding it in.

Once you’ve pinned down these details, here are some helpful tips to create a beautiful ambience: Daytime event “Florals and greenery can look amazing,” says Gleeson. “Use branches that you can hang things from, such as bunting, or wrap fairy lights around.” Sustainable options to add to the event could be bubble wands, or paper decorations like lanterns, kites, streamers and large paper stars.

Food with a flourish Consider decorating your buffet or grazing tables with the same theme as the rest of the room and party. Use lots of greenery, fairy lights and large wooden serving trays to arrange the variety of foods.

Add colour with summer fruits and edible flowers. “Remember that people also need surfaces to put their drinks and plates down, especially if it’s a stand-up party.

Wine barrels look great and are the ideal height for this purpose.”

Evening event If you have an outdoor swimming pool, use the space to add some ethereal decorations for night-time, such as floating lights or lotus flowers.

“You can buy LED lights which float on water and add a spectacular touch to the area,” she says. “And don’t forget to string up your fairy and festoon lights in as many places as possible. “You’ll create a beautiful fairy grotto, which contributes to a wonderful magical feeling.”

Avoid using lighted tea lights. Instead, replace these with LED lights – it’s one less problem you will have to worry about on the night.

Feast fit for post-swim These recipes are so simple to make, they’re sure to be a winner for your pool party guests.

Good morning smoothie Makes/Serves: 1

Ingredients 1 piece of fruit such as banana, strawberries, blueberries or a combination 1 tsp honey 200ml milk (or soy, coconut water, almond milk) Ice Protein Powder (optional) Method Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until the completely mixed. Add some ice and blend again. Pour into a plastic glass and enjoy.

Frozen yoghurt fruit treats

Tasty turkey salad

Makes/Serves: 6

Makes/Serves: 1

Ingredients 1 cup yoghurt ½ cup fruit, blended Method Blend the yoghurt and fruit until smooth. Pour into ice block moulds and freeze overnight. If you don’t have ice block moulds you can pour the mixture onto a baking tray. Place in a freezer and break off pieces to enjoy whenever you want a cold treat.

Ingredients 100g salad leaves 1 ripe pear 3 slices of turkey, chicken or ham 7 Cherry Tomatoes, halved Parsley (as desired) Salt and pepper to season For the dressing ¼ red onion finely chopped 1 tsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp honey Spoonful low-fat yoghurt Method Arrange the salad leaves onto the plates.

Slice the pears, removing the core and stem. Add the pear slices to the lettuce leaves, then the turkey slices. Add the tomatoes on top. Season to taste. Mix the dressing ingredients in a jug and drizzle over the salad before serving.

Fruit skewers Use apples, bananas, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and melons. Cut larger fruits into 3cm size pieces. Use wooden skewers to thread the pieces of fruit on.

Chill in the fridge before serving.

Safe summer celebrations Emma Lawrence from Kids Alive™ shares her tips on keeping your guests safe around the pool this party season so that everyone can have fun in the sun.

Q: Why is it so important to introduce children to a pool?

Emma says: “All environments are different.

Changes in pool temperatures, different depths of water and textures on the side of the pool can all influence how a child reacts to the water. A previously confident child may show signs of unease in an unfamiliar environment. It’s so important to introduce a child to a new pool environment properly.

Q: How can you introduce children to a new pool?

Emma says: “When your guests arrive, take them to the pool area. Explain the pool rules to the children AND adults – in a friendly but firm manner.

I’d suggest saying: ‘It’s really exciting to have you here for a swim. Just a reminder that we’re all responsible for our own children in the pool.’”

If there are young swimmers, ask them to show you how confident they are in the water; you can do this by asking them to show you how they can float on their back.

Also get them to play Monkey-Monkey

around the inside perimeter of the pool so they are familiar with the shape and where the shallow and deep ends are.

them safely to the side of the pool. If you’re supervising then you should be dressed in your swimmers ready to hop into the water.”

Q: Which pool rules should be clear?

Emma says: “Setting rules and boundaries helps to keep everyone safe. When children first arrive at your home, and before they are in the pool, remind them that they should not be touching each other or pushing each other’s heads under the water.

They should not encourage each other to hold their breath (this can lead to blackouts).”

Q: What are some important parental supervision rules?

Emma says: “If your child can and has swum independently for at least two to three years, then as long as you have eyes on them, allow them to join other children in the pool.

This can help encourage their independence.

Remember, you want to encourage them in the water, but as an adult you need to be able to react. Be active in your supervision; you need your eyes on your child at all times.

It’s not enough to stand nearby chatting and just checking every now and then.

Vigilance is a must.”

Q: As host, how should you introduce a visiting child to your pool?

Emma says: “Ask the parents of the children if there any non-swimmers, or if there are children who are scared of the water. This will give you a good idea of the skill- and risk-level of the party. As the pool owner you should be in charge of opening the pool gate and inviting your guests to enjoy the pool.

Explain that the pool gate should be always closed and securely latched.

“Encourage them to enjoy themselves, but with boundaries. There should be no rough play around the pool, such as pushing other people in, no running around the pool and no jumping or diving in the shallow end (which you will have pointed out). If there are young swimmers, ask them to show you how confident they are in the water; you can do this by asking them to show you how they can float on their back. Do not ask them to jump to you from the side of the pool – this just encourages children to think that there will always be someone to pick them up.

“Whenever children enter the pool make sure they do so from the shallow end, using the step.”

Q: Is there an ideal ‘parent-to-child’ supervision ratio?

Emma says: “Children under five years of age need one-on-one supervision, ideally at arm’s length. Older children can have a parent nearby, as long as they are in the pool area. When supervising children in the water make sure you have a pool noodle close by.

If a child is struggling, don’t make a fuss, just pass them the end of the noodle, and pull

Q: How can you make your pool area as safe as possible?

Emma says: “Don’t have glassware around the pool or any sharp objects.

I don’t love the idea of children in floating devices. If you must use one, ensure it meets Australian Standards. When it’s time to eat make sure everyone is out of the pool, so that there are no distractions.”

Q: Can children supervise other children in the pool?

Emma says: “Kids can’t supervise at all until they can become a certified lifeguard at 17.

Until then they don’t have the risk-taking profile to manage any potential situation which may arise.”

Q: Pool toys – yes, or no?

Emma says: “Children love pool toys, but it’s important to remember to remove them when not in use. Children can easily get stuck under pool tools, so don’t leave them lying around. Put them away securely.

Pool noodles are one of the best pool toys because they are great for reach-rescue work and can’t trap a child underneath it. Diving rings and picking up items from the bottom is another great pool activity for kids of all ages. You can encourage children in their water confidence journey by showing them how to recover from a fall into the pool or from a floating object.”

Q: How can you make pool safety part of your everyday life Emma says: “It’s all about routine. Children should know that they can’t go into the pool unless an adult has opened the pool gate for them.

Make sure they hang up their towels in the same place – and never on the gate, as this may impair gate closure.

Get them to check the buoyancy of their pool floats and toys before putting them in the water. When they leave the pool, an adult should again be in charge of the pool gate.

Once they’ve left the water, they should put the pool toys away and take their towels and any other objects from the pool area with them. Encourage children to put on dry clothes after their swim. If they remain in their swimmers, they may think it is OK to go for another swim without you realising.

These habits establish a safe routine and provide the adults of the house with signs that help you recognise if kids want to go in the pool. If they bring you their swimmers and/or a towel you will know their intention.”

Quick safety tick list the different swimming ✔ Gauge levels of all guests

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Allocate supervisor roles between the adults (encourage them to wear a hat or shirt that’s easily identifiable to children)

children that there is ✔ Remind to be no running or pushing out the shallow and ✔ Point deep ends of your pool

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Remind everyone that the pool gate should be always shut, latched securely and is to be only opened by an adult.

“Don’t be complacent.

Pool safety is paramount.”

“Five years ago, we were living in a rented property in Caboolture when the unimaginable happened.

Our property had a small roller door, the size of a door, that opened onto the pool yard. We were told it was bolted shut... it wasn’t.

“We never touched the door – since we thought it was locked and inaccessible, we didn’t give it a second thought.

“One August afternoon Alexiss was in the backyard playing. She found the roller door and, we think, somehow managed to lift it and went through to explore the pool area. I was ill at the time and in bed with gastric flu. Suddenly I heard my husband scream out for me.

“I rushed out to the pool. There was Alexiss, soaking wet and unconscious. She didn’t know how to swim. My husband had found her face down in the water. He’d jumped in, fully clothed, and pulled her out.

“She was blue and unresponsive. We had to do CPR even though we weren’t completely sure what to do. All

Kaitlyn Flynn experienced every parent’s worst nightmare when her daughter Alexiss, then 16 months, fell into the backyard pool. A mother of five children, she shares her story as a warning to other parents.

we knew about CPR was what we’d seen on television.

Thankfully, the woman on the emergency services call talked us through what to do; my husband kept going as I spoke to 000. I was in such a state of panic they couldn’t understand me – I had to keep repeating my address.

So my husband and I swapped and I took over CPR. If we hadn’t performed the CPR, the doctors said, she wouldn’t have made it.

“The ambulance finally arrived – it had to come from Redcliffe and took around 20 minutes to arrive.

Even though we lived just one street from the hospital there was no availability in Caboolture. Alexiss was hyperthermic and her temperature was just 30 degrees.

She stayed in hospital overnight and was released the following afternoon.

“We are so thankful that she has no lasting health issues, such as lung problems, from the incident. Initially, after the accident Alexiss was terrified of water: bath, showers, you name it. We now do swimming lessons

Kaitlyn’s pool safety advice to other parents • If there’s an accident, stay calm.

• Do something rather than nothing • Call 000 immediately • Learn CPR (especially for children) • Make sure your fence and gate are compliant (check that the hinges are closing the gate and that the latch is engaging correctly) • Don’t make it easy for children to get into the pool area

during the summer, for Alexiss and all the children (who also learnt swimming at school). It took about twelve months to build up her resistance and enjoyment of the water. We just took our time with it.

“Alexiss knows that she fell into a pool once, but we think the swim training means that she is no longer fazed by it.

“After the accident we moved out straight away from the rental house. It’s only in the last twelve months that we’ve moved into a home with a swimming pool again. We made sure that the real estate agent showed us a recent Compliance Certificate. We paid to have it rechecked, just to be completely sure.

“I am fearful about water now – even when we go to the beach. It’s the uncontrollable aspect I’m afraid of. I always check the gates and pool surrounds when I’m at other people’s houses, to check that their pool fence and gate are safe and compliant and that the kids can’t get in.

I’ve seen pool areas where the access points to the gate

are too close, for instance a table or chairs are just next to the gate.

“For anybody who is complacent about pool safety, I would tell them to think again. Pool fences and gates need to be compliant – it truly can save a life.”

Remember, most unauthorised access to pool areas by small children occurs through faulty or propped open gates, so always check to see the gate is self-closing and self-latching.

Kids Alive and D&D Technologies – partners in pool safety for over 10 years

® TM