by Mary Parker Draper, Extension Agent – Smith County
With sunny days and warm weather here, people of all ages will be in and around water. Being by the pool or beach is a good way to relax and beat the summer heat. Water safety is a must to prevent accidents and potential drowning.
According to the Red Cross, drowning is the most common cause of deaths among children under the age of 14. Drowning can happen in less than 2 minutes after a person’s head goes under water. With swimming being the most popular summer activity, the Red Cross recommends the following safety rules to be safe around water.
- Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
- Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone. Even at a public pool or a lifeguarded beach, use the buddy system!
- Ensure that everyone in the family learns to swim well. One can enroll in age-appropriate Red Cross water orientation and Learn-to-Swim courses or another accredited course.
- 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.
- Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
- Establish rules for your family and enforce them without fail. For example, set limits based on each person’s ability. Do not let anyone play around drains and suction fittings, and do not allow swimmers to hyperventilate before swimming under water or have breath-holding contests.
- Even if you do not plan on swimming, be cautious around natural bodies of water including ocean shoreline, rivers and lakes. Cold temperatures, currents and underwater hazards can make a fall into these bodies of water dangerous.
- If you go boating, wear a life jacket! Most boating fatalities occur from drowning.
- Avoid alcohol use. Alcohol impairs judgment, balance and coordination; affects swimming and diving skills, and reduces the body’s ability to stay warm.
- Prevent unsupervised access to the water
- Install and use barriers around your home pool or hot tub. Safety covers and pool alarms should be added as additional means of protection.
- Always stay within arm’s reach of young children and avoid distractions when supervising children around water.
- Know what to do in an emergency. If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
- Enroll in Red Cross or accredited home pool safety, water safety, first aid and CPR/AED courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.
With swimming being the most popular summer activity, the best thing you can do to help your family stay safe is to enroll in age-appropriate swim lessons. Contact the Training Support Center at 1-800-RED-CROSS or support@redcrosstraining.org to learn more about summer safety. Enjoy water activities, but respect water and teach your children water safety.
Check out this week’s “Food for Thought” recipe for Quick & Easy BBQ Meatballs! This week’s recipe was submitted by Wendy Drumm, Riddleton FCE Club.
BBQ Meatballs Quick & Easy
1 bag of plain or Italian meatballs
1 jug of Sonny’s BBQ sauce
Place meatballs in a crock pot and cover with BBQ sauce. Cook on high setting until meatballs are soft then set on low to keep warm. These are a big hit at any cover dish meal and so simple to prepare!
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