Water Safety Information & Tips

According to the 2018 report by the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 1-4 and the second leading cause among children ages 5-14. Although the number of annual drownings per year has not increased, the numbers are holding steady which means we have work to do so this number can decrease.

Here are a few tips that can be used at Recreational or Private Pools and are best practice.

Our Top Water Safety Tips of Parents and Guardians:

  1. Never leave a child unattended In or Near Water. Water related emergencies happen very quickly and most times we can't even hear it when a person slips under. This is why assigning a person to be a "water watcher" is best practice. This person should understand their responsibilities which means, they shouldn't be engaging in any distracting behavior such as reading a book or texting on their phone.
  2. Teach children how to swimThere are many options available depending on what works best for your family. From recreational group swimming lessons to private at-home swim lessons, there are options for everyone. We strongly believe that the whole family should know how to swim.
  3. Teach children to stay away from drains. Do not play or go near drains or suction outlets especially in hot tubs and spa's. These are areas that can be extremely dangerous for young people that can become trapped. Safety fences and sealed covers are great ideas for any private spa area. Make sure your pool or spa has compliant safety drain covers.
  4. Install proper barriers, covers and alarms on and around your pool and spaThese items can be lifesaving devices and should be installed immediately. A fence of at least 4 feet should surround your pool or spa and should not be climbable. The water should only be accessible through a self-closing, self-latching gate. Teach children to never try to climb over the pool fence or gate. Install a door alarm from the house to the pool area, and keep pool and spa covers in working order.
  5. Know how to perform CPR on children and adults. Knowing CPR will help keep your family and potential by-standers that you come across that need help, better off. Classes are readily available for this life-saving skill.

 

This article is brought to you by: The Swimming Swan