Summer officially begins this week with the Summer Solstice! That makes it the perfect time to review swimming safety advice from the Red Cross.
Provide close and constant attention to children you are supervising in or near water.
- Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards. Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.
- Provide close and constant attention to children you are supervising, even when a lifeguard is present, no matter how well the child can swim or how shallow the water. Avoid distractions including cell phones.
- Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
- Designate a “water watcher” whenever in a group setting.
Take smart precautions and use layers of protection.
- Stay within an arm's reach of any weak or inexperienced swimmer who is in the water.
- Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
- Do not rely on the use of water wings, swim rings, inflatable toys or other items designed for water recreation to replace adult supervision.
- If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers to prevent unsupervised access to the water
Find more tips
here. Make your summer extra fun by making safety a top priority!