MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

Editorials

Discussion

June 7, 2009

Pools require fenced perimeter

Pools can be safety hazards, so it’s a wise policy for the city of Muskogee to require pools to be fenced.

A Phoenix story last week reported a complaint about an unfenced pool. City officials said that homeowners could be cited for not fencing their pools, and most years, the city receives a few complaints. One pool owner said he was unaware of the ordinance. One city official suggested pool businesses should post notices that fences are required.

Actually, it’s everybody’s business to know the law. Retailers should know the requirements if they are selling pools, but in the end, it’s pool owners’ responsibility to find out what restrictions apply to the things in their yards.

Intuitively and from tragic stories we hear each summer, we know unsupervised pools claim children’s lives. Fencing is one way to stop unauthorized children from entering a pool, and the city ordinance requires that and even a fence with a protective gate between the house and pool.

The ordinance puts the adage “Better safe than sorry” into practice.

Text Only
Editorials