Stay Safe in the Water this Summer

When the temperatures soar, thousands of people head to pools, beaches, lakes, and rivers to cool off. While swimming is a fun activity and a great way to relax, it’s important to keep yourself and your loved ones stay safe in the water.

Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children and also affects adults, so make sure you know how to protect yourself and your family. Read our list of helpful tips to learn what you can do to stay safe while having fun in the water!

Learn to swim.

Be sure to enroll your children in swim lessons as soon as they are old enough. If you never learned to swim, it’s not too late – many pools offer classes for adults.

Learn CPR.

Knowing CPR could help save someone you love. Local recreation departments, fire stations, and hospitals often offer CPR training, so consider enrolling in a class this summer.

Never swim alone.

You could hit your head, get a serious cramp, or become ill at any time while in the water, so it’s important to make sure someone is with you.

Always supervise children in the water.

Regardless of where your children are swimming, you should constantly supervise them in the water. Don’t wear headphones so that you can hear your kids in the water, and don’t text, read, or talk with a friend for long periods of time. Check on your children constantly and don’t leave the area where they are swimming.

Teach kids to never swim without an adult.

Even if your child has completed swim lessons, it is important that they only swim with adult supervision to keep them safe in the event of an accident or emergency.

Don’t rely completely on the lifeguard.

While lifeguards are highly trained and good at their jobs, it can be difficult to keep an eye on every person in a crowded pool or beach. Make sure you check on your children frequently while they are in the water.

Listen to the lifeguard.

If the lifeguards tell you or your children to do something in the pool or at the beach, make sure you follow their instructions. Lifeguards are trained to keep people safe, so listen to them right away.

 Stay away from pool drains and filters.

Clothing and long hair can easily get tangled in drains and filters in pools and spas, so warn your children not to play near them.

Always wear life jackets.

When boating and using jet skis or sea-doos, it is imperative that children wear a properly-fitting life jacket at all times. Be a good example and protect yourself by wearing your own life jacket whenever you are on the water.

Don’t swim or boat while intoxicated.

If you have been drinking, it’s safest to stay away from the water. Intoxication may prevent you from reacting how you need to if there is an accident or emergency.

Know your limits.

If you or your child is not a strong swimmer, avoid the deep end of the pool and stay in shallower areas of the water. Be cautious in lakes, rivers, and the ocean, as currents make these waters more difficult to swim in. If you are tired or have been in the heat for a long time, get out of the water and rest and rehydrate for a little while.

De Castroverde Law Group is a family-run law firm in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit www.DeCastroverde.com for more information about our legal services.