Leaf Rake

• One of the most basic item any pool needs is a leaf rake. These are long poles with nets attached to their ends. If your pool is outdoors, it is inevitable that random debris from nature, such as leaves, will find its way into your water. If you don't remove this debris regularly, not only will the debris accumulate to unsightly, and potentially unsafe, levels, but also the buildup can clog the pool's filtration system and cause costly damage.
  
  

pH Testing Strips

• While pools are great fun, on a most basic level they are bodies of stagnant water. Without the appropriate chemical cleaners and filtration systems, they could become a breeding ground for bacteria and insects such as mosquitoes. Chemical disinfectants, such as chlorine, are only effective within specific pH levels. If the pool's water leaves the effective bracket, the pool's cleaning system will no longer be actually keeping the pool disinfected. Consequently, it is important to have litmus strips or other equipment to monitor your pool's pH level.
  
  

Rescue and Floatation Devices

• Drowning is a constant danger. To safeguard against this risk, it is important to have flotation devices (specifically designed for life-saving, not pool toys) and long poles readily accessible around the pool. While you might instinctively want to swim out to a drowning individual, he might pull you down in panic. The safe way to rescue a drowning individual is to throw him a flotation device or extended the pole out for him to grab onto, then pull him to the side of the pool.
  
  

Fences and Nets

• While stocking rescue equipment around your pool can help save a child when there are people around watching the pool and the children swimming in it, they can't help if the pool is unattended. Because a child who comes upon a pool completely unsupervised can easily drown, it is essential to have devices in place to keep kids out of the pool when there is no one to supervise them. These devices can take the form of locked gates or pool safety nets.