The passing of Memorial Day marks the beginning of the long, lazy days of summer and the opening of many public and private pools. With the popularity of portable, easy set pools and rising gas prices, many families are installing pools of various sizes in their own back yards or buying memberships to public pools to enjoying the summer sun without venturing too far from home. Whether you and your child visit your local public pool, have private pool membership, or swim in your own backyard, make safety your number one priority.

Aside from the entertainment value, swimming is a fun, physical activity that gets kids off the couch and into action at a time of year when sedentary activity is so easy to fall prey to. However, it is essential that parents recognize the safety concerns associated with swimming and take reasonable precautions to protect their children from injury.

Though many families look forward to hitting the pool each summer, the risks associated with pool-related injuries and drowning are often overlooked and forgotten. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Injury Center, there were an estimated 3,582 fatal drownings in the United States in 2005. The CDC also reports that one in four fatal drownings occurs in children 14 and under and for every child who dies from drowning, another four receive emergency department care for non-fatal submersion injuries.

While these statistics may be far from our minds when heading to the pool for fun, the fact is that drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children 1 to 14 years of age and in most cases, is entirely preventable.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following safety tips to prevent drowning.

1) Never leave a child alone in or near a pool. While this may seem obvious, many people mistakenly assume that a child who has learned to swim will be ok for a moment or two. Drowning can happen in an instant and an adult who knows CPR should supervise children at all times.

2) Practice touch supervision with children younger than 5 years. This means an adult should be within an arm's length of children under the age of 5 at all times.

3) Make sure rescue equipment, such as a shepherd's hook or life preserver, are nearby and a telephone is readily accessible in case of emergency.

4) At pools or in lakes, never allow an air-filled toy to substitute approved life vests or rescue flotation devices.

5) For home pools, make sure access to the pool is prevented without the aid of an adult. Install a fence around the pool with securely latching gates and always secure the area after children are done swimming. If using a safety cover, make sure it meets American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Remember that even with proper safety measures in place, children should never be left alone and unattended near a pool.

When swimming away from home, remember that while trained lifeguards are often on duty at many public and private pools as well as some beaches, they are not able to watch every child at all times. Also keep in mind that while vacationing, hotels with indoor or outdoor pools do not typically have lifeguards. Never send your child to a hotel pool alone.

In addition to drowning, other swimming related injuries occur that are equally preventable. Falls are common around pools, especially in-ground pools surrounded by concrete. Teach your children to walk, not run, around pool areas to avoid slipping on wet, slick concrete. Also make sure your child adheres to pool safety rules regarding diving and jumping. Injuries from diving in shallow water can often be fatal.

Another pool safety concern is sun protection. The water from a pool reflects and intensifies the sun's harmful rays. Make sure you and your children use a waterproof sunscreen with a SPF of 20 or higher to avoid severe sunburn and skin damage.

By simply following these safety tips and using common sense precautions, dips in the pool can be a fun and healthy relaxing summer pass time you and your kids look forward to year after year.

Jennifer Beam is a featured writer for Xomba.com, read the rest of her work here .