Summer 2021 is in full swing and all of us at British Swim School are enjoying family fun in the sun! If you’re like us, a lot of that family fun includes water activities like boogie boarding at the beach, playing at the pool or laps at the lake.
We love to see so many people swimming and enjoying the water! But don’t forget that the water presents many risks for experienced and novice swimmers alike. Knowing that 10 people drown every day in the US, we must remain alert in our safety efforts.
Along with continuing swim lessons throughout the summer, we’ve created some water safety tips to share with your family and friends. Some of these tips may seem simple, but any additional steps you take to be safe around water could be lifesaving.
Safety Tips for Open Water Swimming:
- Never leave kids unsupervised near ANY body of water, and ALWAYS ensure there’s a Water Watcher on duty.
- Remind children they’re NOT to go near any body of water without permission from an adult.
- DO NOT rely on water wings or any other flotation device to save a child in a water emergency.
- Have children wear a properly-fitting life jacked if needed.
- DO NOT allow your children to engage in any horseplay, breath-holding games or dunking in the water.
- Only swim in designated areas with a lifeguard present, and avoid areas with high waves or rip currents.
- Adhere to all posted rules, warnings and flags, which may indicate the presence of unsafe swimming conditions or deep water.
- Enter the water feet first – DO NOT dive in!
- Always swim with a buddy, who can signal for help if you need it.