Every summer without fail, you hear or read about the accidental drowning of a child or adult in a river, lake, pool or ocean. Accidents happen. Sometimes they're boating related, sometimes they're drinking related, sometimes it's negligence, sometimes it's an attempted rescue, but more often than not these kind of accidents are avoidable! I used to work at a pool as a certified lifeguard and swimming instructor and one of my favorite parts of my job was teaching water safety. I am not an expert on this issue, but I do know that a little education and a few safety measures can go a long way toward preventing a tragic drowning.
Please be smart and be safe in and around the water. There are simple steps you can take to keep yourself and your loved ones out of harms way and still have fun. You can do a lot to help prevent sad stories from being told and reported.Whether you like it or not, every time you're near the water you are an
example, to your kids, to your family, to your friends and yes, even to strangers; set a
GOOD ONE! It's hard to say "no" to peer pressure and life jackets aren't known to be "cool" but they are and the only way we'll start thinking they are is if the message shifts and more and more people believe in it. Think it, say it, teach it, act it. You have the power to help promote change and perception when it comes to water safety and to possibly save a life.
1.
Always Wear a Life Jacket - On safety day, we taught all the kids in swimming lessons the good old phrase "
Don't just pack it, wear a jacket" it's cute, it's catchy and it's often the difference between a fun day in the water and the possibility of drowning. It doesn't matter whether you're boating, fishing, swimming, wake boarding, water skiing, tubing, wading, canoeing, kayaking, cliff jumping, or participating in any other number of water related activities. Even if you know how to swim, you should always wear a life jacket. It could save your life.
Myth:
you can't drown while wearing a life jacket.
False. You could still drown, but the odds of a person drowning while wearing a life jacket are far less likely than the odds of a person drowning while not wearing a life jacket.
Myth:
simply having life jackets on board or nearby is good enough. False. You're life jacket can't help you if you're not wearing it. You must be wearing a properly fitted, functioning life jacket prior to getting into trouble and needing it for it to work.
Myth:
I'm a strong swimmer, so I don't need to wear a life jacket. False. Anyone, at anytime can get into trouble in the water. Especially in non-pool related situations were water is unpredictable. Rivers, lakes and oceans are constantly changing and even the strongest swimmers can get into trouble in the water.
*Remember:
Your life jacket won't work if you don't wear it! It also won't work if it doesn't s fit correctly! It's pretty straight forward. If they don't fit, they're not going to do the job. Life jackets should be snug and completely fastened or buckled up before going out in the water. By snug I mean that they shouldn't move more than about 1/2" and never more than 1" when pulled upward from the shoulders and you shouldn't be suffocating. If your life jacket easily twists and turns around your waist and chest it's too lose or too big.
2.
Learn to Swim! - If you don't know how or your kids don't know how... now is the time to learn! Summer is the perfect time to take swimming lessons and you're never too old or too young to learn. Swimming aside from all it's positive health benefits is like riding a bike, once you learn you never forget. A person who knows how to swim is going to have a lot more confidence in and around the water than someone who can't. They're also a lot more likely to know their limits. Swimming is a life skill, it's also a basic safety skill and something everyone should learn to do.
3.
The Buddy System - No one should ever swim or participate in water activities alone. It's important to teach kids from an early age that they shouldn't go in or near the water without adult supervision. As they get older and know how to swim, it's important to stress that they shouldn't ever go swimming or boating alone. With a "buddy" around there is always someone to call for help should one of you get into trouble in the water. Just remember, unless you've been trained in proper rescue techniques you should never attempt to swim out to someone who is in trouble in open water. Reach out to them, throw something that floats but don't become a second victim.
4.
Learn CPR & the Signs of Drowning - If you're a parent, teenage sibling, grandparent or other caregiver of a little one(s) or own a pool, the best thing you can do is take a basic first aid and CPR course that covers infant and child CPR. Hopefully you'll never need toy use it, but knowing how to perform CPR on someone you care about in a life threatening situation is one of the best ways to be safe. CPR and rescue breathing can save a life in the event of a near drowning if performed properly, plus you'll have a wonderful new skill! Contrary to popular belief and media portrayal drowning accidents don't often happen or look how we expect them to. There are several different stages of drowning. You can learn to recognize a distressed or tired swimmer, as opposed to someone who needs immediate help. Being able to recognize the difference may help you suggest or tell your children and friends when it's time to take a break.
5.
Reach, Throw or Row; Never GO! - Unless your
trained you should
never go into the water after somebody who is trouble, especially somebody who isn't wearing a life jacket. But that doesn't mean you can't
help them.
You can. You can call 911, call the coast guard, lifeguard or other trained rescue personnel or yell for help. You can also reach an object out to someone in trouble. Almost anything that is long and sturdy will work as a reaching too. In order to reach safely though, you must make yourself as parallel as possible to the ground. If you can lie down before reaching the object out, this will make the person less likely to pull you in if they grab on. When you do start to pull, don't rise above your knees. You can also throw something out to a person who is in trouble in the water. Either throw something, anything that floats or toss a rope with a flotation device attached. Again if your pulling someone to safety, stay as low to the ground as possible. Aim to toss the flotation device to one side of the victim, never throw directly at them as you don't want to hit them in the head and make things worse! Finally, if you have access to a boat and your capable of doing so, you can row out to the person, again stay low as you help them into the boat. Remember don't
GO in and become a second victim yourself. There is no reason to become a second victim in need of rescuing or compound a tragedy!
6.
Be Smart; Stay Safe - It goes without saying, but still must be said that you can take some simple measures to make sure the area that you're in is safe. If you have a kiddie pool, don't leave water in it if it's not gated. Yes, it's a pain to empty and fill that little pool daily in the summer but it's the safest thing you can do. Accidents can happen quickly and a child can drown in less than 2" of water. If you have an in-ground pool make sure it is gated or covered and that small children can't easily access it. Another easy prevention measure is to make sure your kids know they're not allowed to go in or near the water
without first getting permission and making sure someone is going to be a
spotter.
7.
Know & Tell Before You Swim or Sail - It never hurts to know what kind of water you're getting into and the swimming level and ability of everyone who is with you before your out in deep. Some people will happily say "I don't swim well" while others will try to hide it. The safest bet is for everyone to stay within eye sight and shouting range of the worst swimmer in the bunch. Whenever possible swim inside the designated swimming boundaries in open water recreational areas and on beaches where a lifeguard is present. While you'll still need to keep your eye out, they're trained to watch for dangerous situations and to perform proper rescues if the need arises. Respect their rules, they're not arbitrary! It's also always smart to know the depth, current, temperature and usage of the water you're recreating in. Open water is dynamic, just because it looks calm on top doesn't mean it is calm under the surface! Currents, rip tides and submerged debris can all have an impact on water safety. As an added precaution it's always smart to have a boating plan and tell someone where you're going and how long you plan to be.
8.
Have Fun & Enjoy the Water with Your Loved Ones! - Finally, after all that have a blast! Water is great for all ages and almost everyone can find some way to enjoy it whether it's in it, on it or near it. Take some pictures, make some memories and have fun.
 |
| My daughter and I in the pool in AZ. |
*This post was written based on my own personal experience and understanding of water safety. You should always use caution and wear proper safety gear for the activity in which you are participating. I worked as a certified lifeguard and swimming instructor in which I taught water safety for several years. I no longer hold my certification. But I firmly believe that with a little respect of the water and a little knowledge we can all do our part to prevent accidents and lessen the number of people who drown each year.
