Celebrating National Water Safety Month
May is National Water Safety Month, and Keith Zars Pools wants to do our part to help raise awareness about water safety to ensure you and your loved ones have a fun and safe experience all season long.
As summer quickly approaches, swimming and other water-related events will become an increasingly popular recreational activity for people and families across the United States. As people of all ages start spending more time in the water, it’s important to practice safety and take all the necessary precautions to help prevent dangerous situations.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) recommends parents teach their children water safety and swimming skills as early as possible and encourages parents to brief babysitters and other caregivers on water safety with an emphasis on supervision. ISHOF also suggests posting CPR instructions poolside and learning the procedures, as well as keeping a first aid kit poolside at all times.
Swimming Pool Safety Tips:
• Never leave a child unattended in or near the water
o Even if a lifeguard is present, parents and caregivers should still take the responsibility of being a designated Water Watcher – an adult tasked with supervising children in the water.
• Teach children how to swim
o Swimming is not only fun, but it’s a lifesaving skill.
• Teach children to stay away from drains
o Do not play or swim near drains or suction outlets, especially in spas and shallow pools, and never enter a pool or spa that has a loose, broken or missing drain cover.
• Install proper barriers
o A fence of at least four feet in height should surround the pool or spa on all sides and should not be climbable for children. The water should only be accessible through a self-closing, self-latching gate.
• Install alarms for doors that lead to the pool area
o Install a door alarm from the house to the pool area, and keep pool and spa covers in working order
• Post CPR instructions and learn the procedures
o Keep rescue equipment poolside. Don’t wait for paramedics to arrive because you will lose valuable life-saving seconds.
Valuable resources can be found online and in communities to help people become informed about water safety, including but not limited to potentially life-saving water safety brochures, posters, phone apps, activity and coloring books for children, online classes and educational videos, and real-life courses.
Keith Zars Pools wants our customers to enjoy their swimming pools and remain safe while doing so. We encourage everyone to take a few moments to check out the ISHOF’s website at www.apsp.org/nwsm to gain access to a variety of resources and information about water safety.