Five Tips for a Safe Swim Season
May is a great time to think about water safety. Spring is in full swing and pools are starting to open. May is also National Drowning Prevention Month. To increase awareness and prevention, we’ve compiled five tips for a safe swim season:
- Security: Pools should be fully enclosed by a fence at least four feet high with a locked gate. Teach children to never climb fences or open gates. This will prevent them from getting into the pool area without supervision.
- Safety: Inspect pool equipment regularly, especially pool covers and drain covers. Broken drain covers can allow swimmers to get trapped by suction. If you find a broken cover, call a professional immediately to fit a new, anti-entrapment cover.
- Supervision: Keep a constant eye on swimmers. Drowning only take a few minutes and can happen silently. Inexperienced swimmers should always have someone in the water in touch-contact with them. Have a phone handy for emergencies but silence it and stow it in a bag to avoid distraction.
- Swim Lessons: Enrolling children in swim lessons will help them build strength and confidence. They’ll also learn basic swim safety rules. Lessons are no substitute for supervision, though! Even skilled swimmers can drown.
- CPR: If an accident does happen, conducting CPR while waiting for the ambulance can save a swimmer’s life. CPR Classes are available through community centers, the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross.