With hot summer temperatures comes the irresistible urge to cool off. Whether in your home pool, a community pool, or boating on the lake, it is important to keep water safety at the forefront of your mind.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages one to four. According to the American Red Cross, 87% of drowning fatalities of children younger than 5 happen in home pools or hot tubs. Oftentimes, this is due to a child gaining access to a pool or water without the caregiver’s knowledge.
Protect your guests
Follow these key tips for home pool safety:
- Post a sign that says, “IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CALL 911”and include your address since guests or children may not have it memorized.
- Know how to perform CPR and keep a phone nearby.
- Don’t assume all your guests— especially children — can swim. Ask.
- Toddlers and infants should have physical contact with an adult at all times in or around the pool.
- Pool chemicals should be kept in a secure place where children can’t access them.
Kids + water
Drowning can happen quickly and is often silent. Enrolling children in swimming lessons — offered year-round at the Lenexa Rec Center — can increase their confidence in the water. When kids are around water, it’s still important to follow these rules:
- Designate someone to watch the children as their only duty.
- If a child goes missing, look in the pool or hot tub first.
- Teach children to stay away from drains and filters to avoid entrapment.
At the lake
A relaxing day at the lake can turn dangerous in seconds. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 75% of fatal boating accident victims drowned. Of those, 86% were not wearing a life jacket. Everyone on the boat or in the lake should wear a life jacket that is fitted to them and properly fastened.
- Don’t get in the water alone or if you’ve been drinking.
- Don’t dive unless you know the depth of the water.
- Don’t swim near a dock or marina where there is a higher chance of electric shock.
- If the weather starts to turn severe, get off the water.
- Stay hydrated. Dehydration or heat exhaustion can still occur in the water.
- Stay away from the rear of the boat while the engine is running. Carbon monoxide levels can reach dangerous levels quickly.
Check out
PoolSafely.gov to learn more about preventing pool injuries and drownings. You’ll find pool safety tips, fun games to teach kids how to stay safe around pools and other helpful resources.
Published June 17, 2022