The Roanoke Rapids Planning and Development Department is reminding citizens about safe barriers around swimming pools now that warm weather has arrived.

Both the Roanoke Rapids Land Use Ordinance and the North Carolina Building Code address compliance for swimming pool barriers, the city said in a press release.

Planning and Development Director Kelly Lasky said barriers around in-ground pools have to be at least 4-feet high and go around the perimeter of the pool and have a locking mechanism.

“A lot of people put up temporary pools,” Lasky said, explaining the walls of an above-ground pool may serve as a barrier but ladders to them should be removed nightly or at other times when the pools aren’t in use.

In the press release the city explained, “All swimming pools shall be completely surrounded by a fence or other barrier having a minimum height of four feet. When the sides of an above-ground pool are used as the barrier, the ladder or steps shall be capable of being secured, locked or removed to prevent access; or the ladder or steps shall be surrounded by a barrier which meets these requirements.”

A safety barrier is essential to reduce the number of drowning and serious immersion injuries of young children in swimming pools. Property and pool owners are responsible for ensuring safety barriers are maintained and that damaged fencing or barriers are fixed immediately. “Now is the time of year people are thinking about pools and the last thing we want to hear is news of an accident,” Lasky said.

For more information, contact Lasky or Code Enforcement Supervisor Brian Duhadaway at 252-533-2844.