Published: June 27, 2009 11:42 pm         

Staying safe around water doesn’t mean having kids wear water wings

PRACTICE WATER SAFETY



• Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.

• Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.

• Ensure that everyone in the family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate Red Cross water orientation and Learn-to-Swim courses.

• Teach children to always ask permission to go near water.

• Never leave a young child unattended in a bath tub and do not trust a child’s life to another child or to aids that help a child sit upright in the tub.

.• Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.

• When swimming, set specific rules for each individual based on swimming ability.

• Designate a person to watch over children whenever they are in, on or around any body of water.



It Only Takes a Moment



Anyone watching children who are in, on or around water must understand that drowning happens quickly and suddenly. Any source of water is a potential drowning hazard, especially for young children and weak swimmers.

• Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14.

• Drowning usually happens quickly and silently—many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.

Water risks that come with age

• Children younger than age 1 most often drown in bath tubs, buckets or toilets.

• Children ages 1 to 4 most often drown in home pools.

• Older children most often drown in natural water settings.



Remove the risk and prevent access



Staying safe around water is more than staying near the lifeguard at the pool. Every year many children drown in residential swimming pools, bath tubs, buckets of water and other containers of water. Anywhere there is water there is risk for drowning. Do not leave a young child unattended near any source of water, not even for a moment.

Remove the risk and prevent access

• Use physical barriers to prevent children from accessing any source of water.

• Use safety locks on toilets and keep bathroom doors closed and toilet-bowl covers down if there are small children in the home.

• Empty cleaning buckets immediately after use.

• Empty kiddie pools immediately after use.

• Install barriers around your home pool. Pool alarms and covers provide additional layers of protection.

Community water hazards

• Drainage ditches.

• Garden ponds.

• Creeks and streams.

• Wells and cisterns.

• Canals.

• When visiting another home, check the site for potential water hazards and always supervise children.



Life Jackets Not Just forBoats



Life jackets only work when they are worn. Young children and weak swimmers should wear life jackets whenever they are in, on or around the water, even at a pool or a waterpark. Put it on at the dock, deck or shore and don’t take it off until you are on dry land.

When should I wear a life jacket?

• Always wear a life jacket when boating or rafting and when using an inner tube or personal watercraft.

• Children and inexperienced swimmers should wear life jackets whenever in, on and around the water, even if a lifeguard is present.

• Wear life jackets in open water, waterparks or other challenging environments and around cold water and ice.

How do I choose a life jacket?

• Make sure it is the right type for the activity.

• Look for the stamp U.S. Coast Guard-approved stamp on the life jacket.

• Check the label on the life jacket for weight limits and ensure it fits.

• Check buckles and straps for proper function. Discard any life jacket with torn fabric or loose straps.

• Put it on and practice swimming with it.

• Water wings, swim rings, inflatable toys and other items designed for water recreation are not substitutes for U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets or adult supervision.



Is Your Pool Safe?



Home swimming pools can be a significant threat to young children — those living in the home or in the surrounding neighborhood. The vast majority of children who drown in home pools were not expected to be in or around the pool. Most children who drown in home pools do so by entering the water without their parent’s or caregiver’s knowledge.



• Ensure pool barriers enclose the entire pool area, are at least 4-feet high with gates that are self-closing, self-latching and open outward, and away from the pool.

• Teach children to never go near the water without an adult; the pool area is off limits without adult supervision.

• Keep toys not in use away from the pool and out of sight. Toys can attract young children into the pool.

• Pool covers and pool alarms can be used as added layers of protection.



Enforce pool rules

• No children allowed in the pool without active adult supervision.

• Nobody swims alone.

• No bottles or glass around the pool.

• No running or pushing.

• No diving unless the pool meets the safety standards.

• Make sure everyone in the household learns to swim well.

• Designate a responsible individual as the person to watch over children whenever they are in, on or around any body of water, even if a lifeguard is present.

• Do not serve alcoholic beverages to individuals who are or will be supervising or participating in water activities.