Water Safety: Don't Be A Statistic

My father passed away 5 years ago, but one of my fondest memories with my Dad that stands out was swimming with him and my two older brothers. I loved how he would throw me like a cannon ball, and how he would let me dive off his shoulders. I also remember when we all played tag together we would always corral other kids that would be swimming at the pool.

I’m so glad that my Dad made swimming so fun! I loved the water so much that while I was swimming I would pretend that I was a mermaid. I was very grateful to my parents for putting me into swimming lessons in grade 3 and as I grew older I later became a lifeguard and swimming instructor. This, in my opinion, by far is the best summer job a teenager could have😊!

Learning to be a lifeguard we were taught about the dangers of water and the alarming drowning statistics, self-rescue as well as the rescue of others, Lifesaving skills, first aid and of course physical 'water' fitness.

Don’t Be A Statistic…Did You Know:

NO ONE IS IMMUNE TO DROWNING. PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, DIE IN WATER RELATED ACCIDENTS!
Drowning is one of the leading causes of death with children under 4 years of age.
It only takes a few seconds for a child to drown
Boys are almost twice as likely as Girls to drown
Small children can drown in a few inches of water – a bathtub, toilet or a bucket
10 People drown every day
50% of drowning victims that were treated in emergency department required hospitalization or long-term care.
Nearly 80% of drowning victims are male
Drowning ranks as the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury in the U.S.

Source: Centers for Disease control and prevention (CDC)

Be Water Smart - Prevent Drowning!

Swimming Lessons can save lives -Adults and children
Supervise toddlers and young children at all times
Don’t dive into shallow or unknown water
(American Red Cross recommends 9 feet minimal depth for diving.)
Follow posted warning and safety rules
Never swim alone – Always swim with a buddy
Wear a lifejacket: in the lake, boating or use for a weak swimmer
Be realistic about your strength and swimming ability.
Know the dangers of getting too tired, too cold , never swim too far from shore, watch out for too much sun exposure
Check for hazards and make sure it’s a safe aquatic area.
Pay attention to weather conditions

Source: Life saving Association

We As Parents Are The First Defense Against Accidental Drowning:

Stay off electronic devices!!
Be watchful indoors and outdoors of your child
Have attentive ears to listen for long periods of quiet (unless it’s nap time)
Listen for sounds of water, splashes and running water
Be your child’s closest buddies when around any body of water or pools
Install and use baby guard pool fence around your home pool or hot tub
Never leave toys in the pool ( Your child may want to retrieve the toys)
Become First Aid/CPR certified

Some suggestions as a swimming teacher:

Have fun with the kids at the pool.

Bring a couple of toys to play with, they need to feel comfortable and enjoy their time in the water especially young kids.

Some things you can do with your kids at the pool:

Buy fun toys (beach balls, floating toys) to play with them, don't watch them play, join in the fun. They need to see your comfort level and you enjoying the water as well.
It's important that they feel comfortable putting their face, head, and whole bodies under the water. Buy diving toys and have them find them. Play treasure hunt, bring little coins and have them dive for them, if they have stairs start there.
Blowing bubbles: Blow bubbles with straws above the water then use straws under the water. Play fish talk with them under the water, blowing bubbles.
They need to feel comfortable moving around the water. Play What time is it Mr. Shark. Buy a couple of bags of 2 different colored ping pong balls then have them fetch them. Play red light green light.
Play motor boats. Have them hold onto the wall first and sing or say "Motor boat, Motor boat go so slow. Motor boat, motor boat go so fast, motor boat, motor boat step on the break" They kick their legs slowly and then get faster and faster as you sing the song and they need to make big splashes with straight crayon or soldier legs. Then they can use noodles and do the same thing.