Backyard Safety Tips for Military Families

• Frequent PCS moves create new backyard risks that military families must quickly identify and manage.

• Routine inspections and seasonal checkups prevent common hazards like water features, fire pits, chemicals, and damaged fencing.

• Knowing your responsibilities as a renter or homeowner reduces liability and helps protect your family and property.

For some people, a backyard is just an outdoor space, but for military families, it’s much more than that. Given the stress of military life, backyards can feel like an oasis for service members and their loved ones. It’s where kids play, pets roam, friends gather for barbecues, and service members decompress after a long day.

Military families face unique situations that most civilian families do not. Some include frequent moves, orders that may not give families enough time to find the best place to live, and limited control over property conditions, especially when renting. Each new backyard has the potential for good times and relaxation, but it is also important to remember the risks and work to mitigate them.

Previous residents can leave a backyard with features such as damaged fencing, aging structures (e.g., gazebos or sheds), pools, grills, and landscaping hazards. Regardless of whether you live in military housing, rent off-base, or buy a new home, it’s always a good idea to approach home safety with a mission-first mindset. By identifying hazards, making a plan to address them, and adopting safe routines for backyard enjoyment, you can get the most out of your oasis.

This article dives into how to make your backyard as safe as possible, even given the challenges of the military lifestyle. For even more helpful information, including resources to find the perfect place to live, don’t forget to check out our website.

Military families are constantly on the move. In addition to the day-to-day juggling of schedules, including regular military duties, training exercises, and activities for kids, many families deal with frequent PCS moves. As a result, military families are constantly adjusting to unfamiliar new homes, neighborhoods, and outdoor environments. Potential hazards that locals recognize immediately may not be obvious to newcomers.

Backyards serve many functions, so knowing how to identify potential hazards is essential. When long work and school days come to an end, families can use backyards as a safe place to play, relax, and relieve stress. At the same time, backyards can pose environmental concerns, including poisonous plants, water hazards, dangerous animals such as venomous snakes, and unstable structures. Many of these hazards aren’t apparent during a casual walkthrough.

According to U.S. Army safety guidance, maintaining a safe home environment directly supports overall readiness and discipline. By taking a proactive approach, you can spot risks early and develop safe routines.

Every backyard differs, and it can be very easy to overlook potential dangers. Taking the time to inspect the area, especially before young children and pets start exploring it, helps keep everyone safe. There are a few areas where dangerous situations are more likely to be found. Here are a few worth noting.

Water hazards present one of the highest risks, particularly for young children and pets. Some properties are next to lakes, rivers, or the ocean, while others may have pools, hot tubs, or even fixtures like decorative water fountains.

Water hazards should be fenced off from your family. In many states, this is a legal requirement of having a water feature on your property. If chemicals used to keep a pool clean are stored outside, you should keep them in a safe and locked area, out of reach of children and animals.

If you have children, never leave them unsupervised near the water. Drownings happen quickly, often without making much noise. Taking the time to ensure everyone is safe around water allows you to enjoy these backyard features, even though they pose some danger.

Fire pits and grills can turn a boring backyard into something magical. From cookouts with friends to roasting marshmallows on a cold night, outdoor cooking and heating sources are popular backyard accessories. However, as with any fire or heating element, they can also burn. Whenever these items are in use or still cooling after use, someone should always be in the area to ensure youngsters and pets stay away from the danger.

In addition to ensuring people and pets remain at a safe distance from fire pits and grills, it’s important to consider the area around them. Make sure to avoid storing flammable items next to open flames, and don’t forget to consider how wind could carry an ember to nearby items. Finally, get in the habit of regularly cleaning grills and outdoor cooking spaces to avoid grease fires. If they run on propane, periodically check for leaks. When in doubt, always have a professional inspect your equipment.

Backyards are common places for pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers, and rodent control products. Unfortunately, many things used to keep unwanted critters away can also harm our families. Follow product instructions carefully and adhere to local regulations. If you live in on-base housing, confirm installation-specific rules before applying chemicals.

Keep all chemicals and pest control measures in a safe and locked location, and make sure to always use them as directed and in accordance with local rules and regulations. Review procedures for accidental exposure and make sure everyone in the family knows how to contact poison control if needed.

When it comes to landscaping, look for items out of place, like rocks that could be tripping hazards, rotting wood, exposed nails, and unstable play equipment. The best course of action may be to hire a professional pest control technician or landscaper to make sure there are no issues.

Many structures in a backyard, such as fences, gates, and walls, can pose a danger if they are not in working condition. When you inspect these structures, look for things like exposed nails or broken sections of the fence that could act as choking points. If anything is not in working order, you should do what you can to fix it immediately.

Common environmental concerns affecting backyards are often overlooked. One of the most common examples is areas with a lot of sun. Without a shaded area to retreat to, you and your family can be exposed to prolonged sun and UV radiation. Adding shade structures, using sunscreen, and wearing proper clothing for the season make a big difference. Protecting your backyard from environmental hazards like this is a must. Speak with neighbors to see what seasonal challenges affect the area and how they deal with them.

Some differences between military renters and homeowners regarding backyards are worth mentioning. Understanding the difference can help improve the safety of your home. Typically, owners have more responsibility for taking care of issues on their own, while renters can defer some backyard hazards to the property owner. Let’s dive in a little deeper on this topic.

When conducting your initial move-in inspection with the owner or property manager, military renters should consider the backyard just as important as common areas inside of the home. Before accepting the property, inspect fences, gates, outdoor lights, electrical outlets, especially those exposed to the elements, and any water or fire fixtures. If anything isn’t safe, report it to the property manager. It’s also a good idea to keep records of when you reported issues.

Clear communication with the landlord is crucial. In most cases, if there is a safety issue with the property, it is the property owner’s responsibility to fix it. By reporting any backyard safety issues early, you can keep your family safe and help to avoid disputes later over who caused the unsafe condition.

If you want to add equipment to the backyard as a renter, consider portable equipment rather than permanent equipment. For example, instead of installing a swing set placed in the ground with concrete anchors, look for portable play equipment that you can take with you on your next PCS move.

Military homeowners have a great deal of flexibility in how they choose to use their backyard, there’s also more responsibility. Unlike renters, you are responsible for making any improvements or upgrades to your space to make it safer and more enjoyable.

The safety of your family should be your number one concern, but secondary to that is how backyard safety can affect your investment in the property. Adding things like outdoor lighting, cameras, privacy fencing, and motion-activated lighting can keep your family safe and increase the home’s value.

It’s also a good idea to remember that, as the homeowner, you can be liable for injuries someone suffers from unsafe items in your backyard. Regular inspections and routine maintenance are great habits to adopt. If you go the extra step of keeping records of your inspections and repairs, that may also help if you have insurance claims down the line.

As a homeowner, you also want to make any changes to your backyard with the long term in mind. Even if you move in a few years, when building up your backyard, use durable materials, secure fencing, and adaptable layouts that can provide many years of enjoyment. Thoughtful planning ensures the backyard remains an asset rather than a liability, wherever the next assignment leads.

Regardless of whether you are a military renter or homeowner, backyard safety isn’t a one-and-done type of task. Your backyard requires ongoing maintenance to remain hazard-free. Thankfully, just like most military personnel, if you establish a routine, it’s easy to keep your backyard in good working condition.

Many people use pre-season inspections. Depending on where you live, backyards may require a different level of care in the summer than in the winter, for example. Taking the time at least twice a year to inspect your backyard can pay off dividends in the long run. Look for things like rotting wood, loose boards, sun-damaged items, and evidence of pest activity. Addressing problems as soon as you notice them is typically the best option.

After moving, especially if it is a PCS move, it’s extremely important to evaluate a new backyard quickly. Work at your new duty station will only get busier as time goes on and you get more invested in your new unit.

Overall, military families benefit from adopting safe routines early on. By actively looking for hazards, correcting them quickly, and having a safety-first mindset, you and your family will be sure to get the most out of your new backyard.

The best way to ensure your backyard is safe is to conduct a detailed inspection with the landlord and document any hazards.

Look for backyard upgrades that improve safety and long-term resale value.

Some of the most common overlooked backyard hazards include damaged fencing, unsecured gates, aging play equipment, chemical storage issues, and inadequate shade or sun protection for children and pets.

Military families can get a lot out of their backyards. The stress of military life is best managed through relaxation and a space where families can build happy memories. Backyards are one of the best places to find the peace and fellowship that make the long days worth it.

Although backyards offer military families a sanctuary from the storm, they are not without their own potential hazards. From the problems associated with open water, such as pools without proper fencing, to rusty exposed nails, backyards can hide many dangers.

The best way to avoid these hazards is to conduct detailed initial inspections, seasonally assess any new hazards in your backyard, and adopt routines that help keep your backyard safe and a good long-term investment.

Explore military-friendly housing options and relocation resources on the AHRN website to take the stress out of your next move.