Home Fire Escape Plan
Swimming Pool Safety
Last year the Phoenix Fire Department responded to 91 drownings and near
drownings. Most of these tragic incidences could have been prevented.
In 1990 the City of Phoenix adopted a swimming pool barrier ordinance into the building code. The
ordinance requires that all swimming pools built after May 4,1990 are required to have an interior barrier. Barriers shall be*
1. Non-climbable fence or wall that is no
less than 5 feet in height.
2.
All gates must be self-closing and
self-latching and open outward from the pool.
3.
All latches must be no less than 4 ½
feet above the ground.
4.
Any opening in the fence or wall shall
be no more than 4 inches wide. This prevents children from squeezing
through.
If the home or swimming pool was built before May 4, 1990, and all the
occupants of the dwelling are at least six years of age or older, it
shall have an exterior barrier in place. Exterior barriers shall be:
1.
A minimum 5 feet high from grade with
self-closing, self-latching gates “completely around the property”.
2.
All latches must be at least 4 ½ feet
above the ground.
3.
Any openings in the fence or wall shall
be no more than 4 inches wide. This prevents children from squeezing
through.
*This
is not a complete list of all swimming pool requirements. This is only
to be used as a guide. For the complete swimming pool ordinance, please
call the City of Phoenix Development Services Department at 602-262-7811.
It is the responsibility of Fire Prevention to secure
temporary barriers to mitigate an immediate hazard. Responding to calls
from our citizens, Fire Prevention Specialist respond to these pools to
secure the pool barrier in order to prevent a drowning. The Fire
Prevention Specialist use a “Pool Abatement Team Vehicle”, which carries
all the necessary fence repair and building equipment, to temporary
secure the pool fence or gate. After the pool has a temporary fence or
is secure, the Neighborhood Services Department or the Development
Services Department will follow up to ensure that permanent repairs are
made. For questions please call our pool safety hot line at
602-495-5555, or
click here. For CPR information please
click here.
Certificate of Fitness
All fire protection companies doing
work in the City of Phoenix are required to have a valid Certificate of
Fitness card or license from the Phoenix Fire Department. To obtain a
card or license the companies are tested on the fire protection systems
they install or service. The companies are required to have a separate
card or license for all the systems they install or service (i.e. fire
alarms, sprinklers, hoods, and fire extinguishers). This helps to
ensure that the company doing the work is knowledgeable on the Fire Code
and all other requirements. We recommend you ask the company for their
Certificate of Fitness card or license before any work is done. You may
also call 602-262-6771 to inquire about the status of a company.
