Staying Safe While Staying Cool

Ahh, summer.

Time for cannonballs in the swimming pool, trips to the lake, tubing down the river and anything else to help keep cool. While having fun is the main goal, safety should also be a top priority. Did you know that in 2005, there were 3,582 fatal unintentional drownings in the United States? And an additional 710 people died from drowning and other causes in boating-related incidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention. To help you and your family stay safe this summer, here are some important water safety guidelines: Learn to swim. Children as young as six months can be enrolled in swim lessons. Any child over age three should take lessons. Fence in your pool (fences should be at least four feet high) and include a self-locking gate. Learn CPR. Your local Red Cross chapter offers certification courses.Supervise, supervise, supervise. Keep younger children within arm’s reach. If you’re boating, ensure everyone on board has a properly fitted lifejacket. Teach your kids to “buddy up” and always have a partner any time they’re swimming, whether in a pool, lake or ocean. Never combine alcohol and water. One third of boating deaths are alcohol related, and alcohol can be a factor in teen drownings as well. Remove pool toys when not in use so children are not tempted to go in or near the pool. Keep rescue equipment, such as a life preserver or hook, by the pool as well as a phone. If you’re at the beach and get caught in a rip tide, do not fight it. Swim parallel to shore until you’re out of danger or tread water until help arrives. Finally, always swim where there’s a lifeguard. The chances of drowning with a lifeguard present are one in 18 million.