May is National Water Safety Month, and while many of the conversations surrounding pool safety tend to focus on supervision, swim lessons, and drowning prevention education, one of the most important physical layers of protection around a swimming pool is often overlooked entirely — the barrier system itself.

For many homeowners, a pool fence is treated as little more than a code requirement or decorative backyard feature. But according to Jeremy Brongo, owner of Florida State Fence, the details surrounding a properly designed and maintained pool barrier can make a tremendous difference when seconds matter most.

“One of the things that a fence can do is prolong the time that it takes for a child to get close to a pool,” said Brongo. “So it’s just an added layer of protection that doesn’t allow the children to accidentally fall into the pool.”

That idea — buying precious time — sits at the heart of modern pool safety philosophy.

Drowning Prevention Starts With Safety

Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death for young children in the United States, and nowhere is the issue more pronounced than in Florida. According to Florida Department of Health data, the state routinely leads the nation in child drowning fatalities among children ages 1-4. In many cases, the incidents occur in residential swimming pools.

Florida’s year-round swimming weather, combined with the sheer number of residential pools throughout the state, helped push lawmakers to adopt some of the country’s strongest residential pool barrier laws decades ago.

Brongo says the speed at which these incidents occur is something many homeowners fail to fully appreciate until tragedy strikes close to home.

“You always hear families or someone that has dealt with somebody who they know that has drowned in a pool,” said Brongo. “They always say that it happened so quick.”

That reality is one reason why safety experts increasingly stress the importance of layered protection around pools rather than relying on any one single solution.

Barriers, Part of The Pyramid of Pool Safety

The concept of a “Pyramid of Pool Safety,” is an approach heavily promoted throughout the aquatics industry. The idea is simple: no single device or technology is foolproof on its own.

Fences, alarms, supervision, swim lessons, self-closing gates, drain safety systems, and water competency all work together as overlapping layers of protection.

Adam Katchmarchi, Vice President of Educational Development at Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, previously told Pool Magazine that while technology is making advancements in assisting in drowning prevention, “there is no replacement for barriers, supervision, and water competency.”

Brongo echoes that same philosophy from the barrier side of the industry.

“I think just giving that extra layer of protection buys you more time,” he explained. “If a toddler or child gets away from you temporarily, it gives you those few extra precious moments to act and help try to keep children safe .”

Florida Leading The Way By Necessity

One of the biggest misconceptions homeowners have is that any backyard fence automatically satisfies pool safety laws.

In reality, Florida’s Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act contains very specific requirements governing residential barriers and controlled access around pools.

“That law requires residential pools to have at least one approved safety feature designed to restrict or detect unsupervised access,” Brongo explained. “The most common solution is a compliant barrier system around the pool, such as a fence.”

The problem, according to Brongo, is that many homeowners never realize how technical those requirements actually become.

“I think people just assume that if they have a fence, then they’re compliant,” said Brongo. “But the fence actually has a lot of specifications that make it pool compliant.”

Pool barriers in Florida must generally be at least 48 inches tall and designed to discourage climbing. But even something as simple as the placement of a horizontal rail can create a code issue.

“If there’s a horizontal bar in the fence, that will allow a small child to put their foot in there and basically act as a ladder,” Brongo said. “So the spacing between any horizontal members on the fence has to be greater than 45 inches.”

The Gate Is The Most Important Part

While the fence itself matters, Brongo says the gate is often the single most critical component of the entire system.

“I would say the gate’s probably the number one most important part of the fence,” said Brongo. “That’s naturally where people tend to walk and tend to go to access a pool.”

Florida law requires pool gates to be self-closing and self-latching, but Brongo says homeowners often underestimate how important proper operation truly is.

“If the gate for some reason closes but doesn’t fully latch, and the gate’s still accessible or has the ability to get in, that can become an issue,” he explained.

Another requirement many people never realize exists is the direction the gate swings.

“The gate’s required to swing out. The gate cannot swing in,” said Brongo. “A lot of people don’t know this.”

The reasoning behind that rule is surprisingly practical. Young children naturally push forward against barriers. If a gate swings inward and isn’t fully latched, a child leaning into it could accidentally open access directly to the pool.

“If it swings out, if a child walks up, they’re not going to have the ability to reach up to where the handle of the latch should be,” Brongo explained. “And if they lean on the fence, it would typically latch and wouldn’t open.”

The Hidden Problems Homeowners Miss

Some of the biggest safety risks surrounding pool barriers aren’t actually part of the fence itself.

Brongo says his company frequently encounters situations where homeowners unknowingly create climbing hazards around otherwise compliant barriers.

“One of the main ones is if there’s something left near a fence or some type of pool equipment or AC equipment that’s too close to a fence and can be used as an object that someone can climb on,” he said. “That’s just not something that’s thought about very often.”

Furniture, planters, coolers, storage bins, and even landscaping can all unintentionally compromise a barrier system over time.

That same gradual change is why maintenance becomes so important.

“I would say people tend to get complacent and they don’t maintain,” Brongo explained. “The fence may have been installed pool-compliant at one time, but over time, the gate might not be functioning the same way that it was the day it was installed.”

Pool owners should routinely inspect hinges, latches, springs, closures, and surrounding conditions to ensure the barrier is still performing correctly years after installation.

“The gates usually are just an easy adjustment,” said Brongo. “Most of the hinges on our gates are spring-loaded. You can adjust the tension with an Allen wrench. It takes no more than two minutes.”

When To Plan A Pool Barrier

According to Brongo, barrier planning should never be treated as an afterthought.

In Florida, barrier systems are directly tied into the final stages of pool construction and inspection.

“It’s part of the pool safety inspection here in Florida,” said Brongo. “They actually will not allow a homeowner to fill the pool with water until they have the barrier system in place.”

That means pool owners should be discussing fencing, access points, alarms, and overall safety design alongside the original pool layout — not after construction is complete.

For homeowners using the house itself as part of the barrier system, additional protections may also be required.

“Any doors leading directly to the pool area may have to have an alarm or some type of self-closing option,” Brongo explained.

Safety And Backyard Design Can Coexist

One of the reasons some homeowners resist installing pool fencing is the belief that barriers ruin the visual appeal of a backyard.

Brongo says modern fencing options have evolved significantly over the years.

“Fencing’s come a long way,” he said. “There’s so many great options now for pool fences.”

Aluminum fencing remains one of the most popular choices throughout Florida, but today’s homeowners also have access to a wide variety of colors, styles, and designs capable of blending into luxury outdoor environments while still remaining code compliant.

Ultimately, though, aesthetics should never outweigh safety.

“It can happen in a split second, and safety is the number one priority,” Brongo said. “If there’s anything that they can do to help prevent an incident, fencing is obviously one of those items.”

Because when it comes to pool safety, the details most people miss are often the ones that matter most.

Ready to take a deeper dive?

Listen to our entire conversation with Jeremy Brongo on the Pool Magazine podcast.

Photo Credits: Florida State Fence

AUSTIN, Texas (May 21, 2026) — SPS PoolCare, the largest swimming pool services company in the United States, today announced it has acquired the majority of Amenity Pool Services’ pool service operations. The transaction, completed in two portions, spans Amenity’s commercial and residential operations in Phoenix, Tucson, and Jacksonville, Fla., as well as its residential operations in Orlando, Dallas, and Port Charlotte, Fla.

The Amenity transaction builds on SPS PoolCare’s January 2026 acquisition of Pool Troopers, which united the nation’s two largest pool service providers. Amenity Pool Services is ranked #3 on the 2025 PSN/Jandy Top 50 Service List, and together, these transactions reflect the company’s capacity to integrate large, complex operations while delivering the consistent, professional service experience that customers depend on every week.

“Amenity has outstanding team members, service standards, and customer relationships cultivated across key Sun Belt markets,” said Lance Martin, CEO of SPS PoolCare. “With this partnership, customers benefit from our expanded network of skilled technicians, advanced scheduling systems, and comprehensive service offerings that keep their pool in top condition year-round.”

SPS PoolCare, a portfolio company of Storr Group, has acquired more than 200 pool service companies since its inception in 2021. The company seeks to provide customers with continuity by preserving existing service schedules, technician relationships, and pricing structures during each transition onto ServiceTitan’s cloud-based platform. SPS PoolCare now serves more than 50,000 weekly recurring residential and commercial customers across 19 markets in five states.

“This transaction represents another significant step in executing the company’s long-term consolidation strategy and further strengthens the platform’s leadership position in the industry. We look forward to supporting the management team through the next phase of growth and integration,” added Fraser Ramseyer, founder of SPS PoolCare and founder and CEO of Storr Group. 

Nation’s largest pool services company acquires operations in Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, Orlando, Jacksonville, Fla.,and Port Charlotte, Fla. 

• Acquisition brings new customers, skilled technicians, and expanded market presence  
• SPS PoolCare has acquired over 200 pool service companies since its inception in 2021.
• SPS PoolCare now serves over 50,000 weekly recurring residential and commercial customers across 19 markets in five states.

About SPS PoolCare: 

As the #1 swimming-pool service company in the United States, SPS PoolCare is on track to perform over 2,000,000 weekly recurring pool services in 2026 and employs more than 1,000 staff across five states. Backed by Storr Group, the company is focused on growing its family of brands across the Sun Belt, as it continues to make owning a pool a joy. The company is committed to creating a world-class service experience for its customers and to being the employer-of-choice for its team members. Read more at spspoolcare.com

About Storr Group: 

Storr Group is an operationally focused lower-middle-market investment firm that backs, builds, and scales industry-leading platforms. With a rich background in business building, Storr combines world-class operators with strategic M&A, deep integration, and sophisticated technology to drive sustainable growth and long-term value. Storr Group has offices in West Palm Beach, New York City, and Austin. To partner today, visit storrgroup.com

For more information, contact: 

Madeleine Budge 

10 to 1 Public Relations 

[email protected]

(480) 514 – 1070

CCEI is pleased to introduce the new Antea VS– a new innovation that allows management of variable speed pumps by seamlessly integrating them into CCEI Vigipool ecosystem.  This ultra-compact antenna can be installed effortlessly on a wide range of pumps, delivering advanced connectivity and smart control at your fingertips with the Vigipool app. 

 With the Antea VS pool professionals can control and configure the pump room from anywhere.  Simply plug the antenna into a 12-15 VAC (50-60 Hz) outlet, then connect to the pump and within minutes you have full control on your smartphone. The system automatically adjusts pump room speed based on real-time environmental conditions—such as water temperature and pool cover status—while always giving users the freedom to manually select preferred pump speeds at any time.  

To unlock its full potential, the Antea VS is engineered to work alongside the Tild VP automation system which governs the pump’s electrical supply and serves as the backbone of the pump room. Together they control power, filtration, lighting and variable speed pumps using the Vigipool app.

More information about CCEI’s US operations can be found at:

www.ccei-pool.com/us/

424-800-2191

CCEI USA Inc.

808 Hindry Ave, Suite G

Inglewood, CA 90301 

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