Water Safety Tips
Ways To Keep Your Children Safer Around Water
Water Safety Has To Be A Layered Approach
Although no child is ever drown-proof, there are additional safety measures we can take to keep our children safer around the water. None of these layers alone will prevent drowning. When used in conjunction with each other, these layers can help to keep our kids safer and lower the chances of them drowning.
Statistics
69%
of drownings occur during NON-swim times. This means the child was done swimming for the day and likely was fully clothed at the time of their drowning.
Five Layers of Protection Against Drowning
1. Effective supervision
The most critical line of defense is adult supervision. No level of aquatic skill can replace active supervision. If your child is ever missing, check the water first. Since most drownings in young children occur during non-swim times, it is critical that supervision remains strong even after everyone is done swimming for the day.
2. Pool Fences
Install a 4-sided fence with self-locking gates. Ensure that the pool fence is at least 3-5 feet from the pool edge. Research local pool fence companies near you to find a nearby option.
3. Alarms
Most drownings occur when caregivers don’t know their children are near the water. All doors and windows leading to a pool or other areas with water should be locked and alarmed. Doggy doors should be sealed. Pool alarms add an additional element of safety to your pool set-up, helping you know when a child may have entered the water without your knowledge. Visit poolscout.co for one example of a pool camera monitored alarm system.
4. Survival Swimming Lessons
A moment's inattention doesn't have to cost your child their life. High quality survival swimming lessons, like ISR, teach children what to do if they were to find the water alone. Skilled ISR students are able to rotate to a float and breath until help arrives.
5. CPR
If an emergency happens, it is essential parents and families are prepared. Learn to perform CPR on children and adults, and remember to update those skills regularly.
Drowning victims need two breaths FIRST before compressions. It is vital that drowning victims get oxygen immediately.
Our Amherst instructor, Emily Plemons, offers in-house CPR certification for groups of 4-6. Contact her at emily.plemons@infantswim.com for more info.
Additional Water Safety Tips
Ditch the floaties
Flotation devices such as Puddle Jumpers and Life Vests should not be used recreationally in pools. These devices promote the vertical (drowning) positioning and provide a false sense of security in children. In essence, these devices make your child think they can swim when they cannot. They are more likely to enter the water alone (without their floatie on) because they think they will pop right back up like they do with their floatie on.
USCG life jackets should always be worn on open water.
Put Pool Toys Away
When you are done swimming, make sure to put pool toys away. Pool toys left in the pool can attract children to the water, making it a drowning risk. Removing toys from the pool after swimming removes any additional temptation for a child to enter the water alone and lessens the chance of a child accidentally falling in while reaching for a pool toy.
Stay Educated
Stay up to date on all things water safety by following Cast Water Safety Foundation on instagram @castinghope_ or checking out their website at https://castwatersafety.org/
CAST also provides a number of helpful downloads/printables with all things water safety here
Assign a Water Watcher
When attending or hosting a pool party where multiple children will be swimming, assign a water watcher who is solely responsible for supervising the water. This person should rotate every 15-20 minutes and should not be distracted, drinking alcohol, or on their phone. You can find many examples of water watcher cards by searching the topic on the internet.
Because of Logan
Our local scholarship partner
"On May 28, 2021 Logan Grace Fox went to Heaven and we are honoring her life and spirit through the Because of Logan charity fund.
Honoring the life of Logan, through swim safety awareness, education, training and support of families who have endured a loss through childhood drowning."
Because of Logan provides scholarships for ISR lessons to families who otherwise could not afford lessons.
Learn more about their scholarships or donate to Because of Logan here.
