It’s Swim Season – Tips To Keep Safe This Summer

Finally, it's swim season. I'm ready for jumping into a pool, although I'd prefer it to be heated. Over the past weekend, a noticed a few people jumping into the lake where my campground resides. Personally, I think the water is still a bit too cold, but maybe that's just the old person in me not brave enough to swim in cold water.

I learned to swim at a young age and have loved it since, although nowadays, I'd prefer to be in a heated pool with a cold drink in hand, while learning up again the wall of the pool, enjoying a warm summer day. Now, that's life.

And since we're on the topic of summer, water and swimming, here are a few tips to remember to keep you and others safe while swimming from the American Red Cross:

If you are in water other than a private swimming pool, only swim in the designated areas, and it's not safe to swim alone. It's best to swim in an area that has lifeguards on duty. If you are swimming with an inexperienced or weak swimmer, stay close. The Red Cross recommends within an arm's length.

If you have children swimming, you need to keep your eye on them. Avoid distractions. A child can get into trouble in an instant, so contact supervision is a must. Never leave a young child unattended near water. Children should be wearing an approved life jacket for extra safety.

For those with private pools, it's the law to have barriers such as a fence to prevent access to the water. The Red Cross notes that many children who drown in home pools do so during the non-swim times when no one is expected to be in the water,

In an emergency, call 9-1-1, and make sure you have available equipment for reaching or throwing, a cell phone, life jackets, and a first aid kit. Be safe, both for you and those around you who also love spending time in a pool, and it will be another summer of swimming fun.

For more details and tips about swimming safely, visit the American Red Cross website.

via American Red Cross