Basic Water Safety

May is not only a month designated to raise awareness about bicycle safety, it is also National Water Safety Month. Temperatures are warming, summer is nearing, and some people are already looking forward to swimming, boating and other water recreation in the months ahead.

So how can you keep yourself and your loved ones safer around water? Please see the water safety pointers below.

Swimming pool safety:

• Teach your children swimming skills and pool safety early on in childhood – enroll them in swim lessons designed for their age group
• Always supervise children in the pool
• Stay within an arm’s reach of the youngest swimmers
• Avoid getting overly engrossed in a book or computer when supervising children in the pool – there is often no noise (i.e. splashing or screaming) when a child is drowning
• If a child is missing, check the pool first
• Clear the pool of all toys when they are not in use, to avoid attracting a child to the pool when you aren’t around
• Make sure you know which adult is designated as the supervisor – don’t just assume someone is supervising
• Don’t leave chairs, ladders, tables or other things leaning against the pool fence, to prevent children from using the objects to climb the fence

Boating safety:

• Before your boating trip, make sure someone knows the details of your plan
• Always wear a life vest
• Drink responsibly – don’t become inebriated while operating a boat
• Obey navigation rules, including maintaining a safe speed