SAN DIEGO -- There's nothing quite as a refreshing as a swim on a hot summer's day. But as much as pools can be refreshing, they can also be deadly.

According to the National Safe Kids Coalition," drowning is the second leading injury-related killer of kids ages 1 to 14."

The group conducted a study and analyzed 490 cases of children who drowned during a two-year period. It found that nine out of 10 children were being supervised at the time of the near-drowning. The message of these safety experts is prevention. Supervision is a must, and so are fences.

"Drowning is something we know is preventable," said Roxanna Hoffman, of the Safe Kids Coalition, who notes that kids are attracted to water, whether it's safe or not. "I don't think anybody would want to live with the death of a child because they didn't incorporate safety in their pool design."

Pool safety is a top priority for other consumer groups, too. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission launched a drowning prevention campaign targeting water safety for kids under the age of 5. They've issued a publication outlining safety issues including fences, barriers, alarms and power safety covers.

"That so many young children drown each year is devastating," said CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton. "Each of these deaths is not only the pointless end of a promising life, but an overwhelming grief for the family that goes on for years and years. As a father, I cannot imagine having to endure the pain of such a loss."

The CPSC advised consumers to use layers of protection in making their pools safe. They stress constant supervision of young children; emergency preparedness and the installation of barriers like fences with a self-closing, self-latching gate around pools and spas.

"We believe that using multiple layers of protections can prevent many of these deaths, but still too many children are dying," Stratton said.

The National Safe Kids Coalition and the CPSC offered some prevention tips:

Never leave a child unsupervised in or around water in the home.
Never leave a child unsupervised in or around a spa or a pool.
Don't prop open a fence or a gate with access to a pool or spa.
Don't rely on swimming lessons to protect a child.
Appoint a "water watcher" -- someone to monitor the kids in the water. Make sure that the supervising adult knows CPR.
Keep rescue equipment and emergency numbers near the pool.
Don't dive into water less than nine feet deep.
Put up a four-sided isolation fence that is five-feet high or taller with a self closing gate around pools and spas.
Don't leave toys or floats in the pool since kids may be attracted to them.
If a child is missing, always look in the pool first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.