Swimming Safety

Swimming Safety is for Everyone

A great day in the water can be a lot of fun, but that fun can swiftly come to an end unless you keep swimming safety in mind. This goes for adults as well as teens and children.

It takes as little as two minutes for someone to drown, but even if you survive a bad experience in the water, just four minutes of oxygen deprivation can cause permanent brain damage. This is why it's so important to practice good safety measures- even a small mistake has the potential to become a fatal one.

Water Safety Tips

Although guidelines may vary a bit, depending on whether you're swimming at the pool or in an open body of water, these common sense tips will help keep you in a "safety" frame of mind.

1. Take proper swimming lessons, and make sure everyone in your family has the opportunity to take them too.
2. Never swim alone, always take a buddy along.
3. Never leave children or weak swimmers unattended in or near the water.
4. Never swim until you're tired, or swim to the point of exhaustion.
5. Never hesitate to use a Coast Guard approved life jacket, especially in deep or rough waters.
6. Wear water shoes to protect your feet from rough bottom surfaces, especially at the beach.
7. Allow twenty minutes after eating before you resume swimming.
8. Never mix alcoholic beverages and swimming.
9. Don't dive into water unless you can see how deep it is, and if there are any hazards waiting for you at the bottom.
10. Never swim under diving boards because the divers can't always see you and may not be able to avoid a collision.
11. Keep horseplay to a minimum- no jumping on, or dunking other swimmers.
12. No running around in ground pools or above ground pool decks. It's too easy to accidentally fall in and be injured.
13. Only one swimmer at a time on the ladder.
14. Avoid swimming during stormy weather. Lightening is drawn to the water, and you stand a better than average chance of being electrocuted.
15. If you're swimming in open water and become caught in an undercurrent, attempt to swim parallel to the shore as this will give you a better chance to escape the current.
16. Do not allow more swimmers on a flotation device than the manufacturer recommends.
17. Always follow all posted swimming rules at public pools and beaches.
18. Stay within sight of any life guards on duty, and signal them as soon as possible if you feel like you're in trouble.

Pool Safety Accessories

The right pool accessories can actually increase your swimming safety.

Fences

All pools should be surrounded by safety fencing to prevent children and pets from gaining unsupervised access to the water. The fencing should be a minimum of four feet high, and with openings small enough to deter climbing.

Pool Alarms

Pool alarms come in two main styles, those for above ground pools and those for in ground pools. They emit either a very loud siren, or voice alert whenever the alarm has been triggered.

Above ground alarms use underwater wave detectors to signal whenever something greater than fifteen pounds falls into the pool. Such a quick alert can help prevent accidental drownings.

In ground alarms use the same technology to alert home owners when something has unexpectedly entered the water. The alarm can be mounted at the pool's edge or directly to the ladder.

Conclusion

Now you certainly have some food for thought about swimming safety. We encourage you to take these suggestions to heart, and learn all you can about water safety for the benefit of your family and yourself.

External Links

• Redcross.org, offers courses in swimming, life guarding, and water safety.
• Save On Pool Supplies, a source for pool alarms, fences, and more.

• Barely String Bikini
• Bikini Models
• Tankini Swimsuits
• Brazilian Bikini
• One Piece Swimsuits

• Swimming Pool Games
• Who Invented Swimming Flippers
• Private Swim Lessons
• Billabong Board Shorts
• Swimming Clothes

• Brazilian Bikini Babes
• Brazilian Bikini Models
• Hot Guys in Speedos
• Vote for your Favorite Swimsuit Style