10 Swimming Safety Tips
1. Before Heading to the
Beach or a Public Pool, Do Your Research
Many public pools and beaches will share
lifeguard hours online and note if there isn't one on duty. Check your
destination's details before heading out for a swim, and choose a site that’s
guarded whenever possible, Fisher says.
If you do go to a spot without a lifeguard,
it’s better to choose a pool or beach familiar to you, where you think even the
weakest swimmers in your group can wade into the water safely.
“Know the particulars of each type of aquatic
area you want to use,” says William
Ramos, PhD, a member of the American Red
Cross Scientific Advisory Council and the director of the
Aquatics Institute at Indiana University in Bloomington. “For example, with
open water spaces someone should understand that impact of waves, currents,
sandbars, and rip currents can have on safety,” Dr. Ramos adds.
2. If There’s No Lifeguard on Duty, Pick
the Pool Over the Ocean or Open Water
Compared with the seaside or a lake, it's
easier to spot a swimmer in distress at a pool, Fisher says. And there will
often be markers to indicate how deep the water is, so less-confident swimmers
can stay where it’s shallow.
“This isn’t foolproof, but it removes a lot of
unknowns that contribute to drownings, like the waves and currents and sudden
dropoffs into deeper water that you can experience at the beach,” Fisher says.
3. Be Prepared for an Emergency Before You
Hit the Water
Look around to see what lifesaving equipment is
available to use, such as a ring buoy or reaching pole, Ramos recommends.
Know who in your group can do CPR, and who has
a phone to call for help.
The Red Cross has a Chain of
Drowning Survival with step-by-step instructions for
identifying and responding to a swimmer in distress — review this before you go
to the pool or the beach.
4. Pack Life Jackets in Your Beach or Pool
Bag
If you're a nonswimmer or a weak swimmer, wear
a life jacket approved by the U.S. Coast Guard to
enter the water, no matter how calm or shallow conditions may appear, experts
say. “Relying on any kind of non–U.S. Coast Guard approved flotation device can
lead to a false sense of security, and these items can fail or float away,
leaving the person in trouble,” Ramos says.
5. Don’t Count on Water Wings to Keep Kids
Safe
Parents need to know that lots of products
pitched as aids for kids in the water really won’t help, says Gary Smith,
MD, DrPH, the president of the Child Injury Prevention Alliance and
the director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide
Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
“Water wings and pool noodles are toys — not
drowning prevention devices,” Smith says. Especially in the ocean, the wind and
current can carry kids offshore or lure kids into deeper water to chase a toy
that got away from them. “Floatable toys should be used by those who are
capable to be in areas of the water safely without them,” Ramos adds.
6. Follow Any Posted Water Safety Rules
Signs at most public pools and beaches will
point you to designated swimming areas and warn you about specific dangers,
whether it’s a pool too shallow for diving or an ocean beach with strong
currents or riptides, says Ramos.
These posted rules are meant to be followed
even when there's no lifeguard on duty; they're in place to prevent injuries.
And don’t enter the water during hours when pools or beaches are closed or
after dark, Smith adds.
7. Don’t Dive — It’s Not Worth the Risk of
Serious Injury
Even if this rule isn’t clearly posted on any
signs, don’t enter the water headfirst even if you think you know the area,
Ramos says. The risk of head, neck, and spinal cord injuries is just too great,
and it’s always safer to jump in feet first or just walk into the water if
that’s an option. “In the case of open water spaces, with currents and tides,
the bottom will not be the same as the last time you used it,” Ramos says.
8. Appoint a Water Watcher
This is a good idea all the time, but
especially when there’s no lifeguard working. Appoint an adult to stay out of
the water on the beach or the pool deck, keeping a close eye on everyone who is
swimming at all times. “This means no talking on the phone, no socializing, no
drinking — just watching the swimmers as a responsible adult,” Fisher says.
Water watchers can take turns, but when they’re
on duty this is supposed to be their only focus. “Although it may seem extreme
for adults, the water watcher concept is still the best plan,” Ramos adds.
9. Use the Buddy System to Stay Safe in
the Water
Adults and teens: Swim in groups or pairs so no
one is ever in the water alone, Smith advises.
For young children — especially kids who aren’t
strong swimmers — their buddy should be an adult who is never more than an
arm’s length away, Fisher says.
10. Know Your — and Your Kids’ — Limits,
and Don’t Overdo It
Don’t push yourself to the max to do more laps
faster than you ever have before, or urge your child to master new skills like
swimming the entire length of the pool on their own. And don’t push your limits
just to show off or keep up with your friends and family. “Be honest with
yourself about your swimming ability and don’t feel pressure to hide it from
others if it’s not up to the level of others you’re swimming with,” Ramos says.
“Overextending yourself to keep up with others can lead to trouble.”
Parents also need to refrain from pushing kids
to swim. “If they aren’t comfortable getting in the water, don’t force them,”
Smith says. “If they start to look tired or tell you they need a break, have
them get out of the water and rest.”
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