Even with school already in session and the fall season right around the corner, the weather is still warm and pools are still a fun place for families to relax and enjoy each other. Information on water safety is important to all parents of toddlers and children even at this time of the year.
With so many lakes, canals and swimming pools in our area and with so many drownings in our community every year, it is clear that more needs to be done to prevent water accidents. After working with families for so many years, we believe parents have many misconceptions about drowning and about what it takes to keep it from happening. They think it only happens to children with “bad” parents, but that’s just not the case. A drowning can happen quickly and quietly, and it can happen to anyone.
Most parents would be surprised to find out that most drownings of young children occur in backyard pools and that it often happens during a time when a child is in the care of one or both parents. Most young children who have drowned had been missing for less than five minutes when the tragedy occurred. With these kinds of statistics, parents need to do everything they can to help their children become safer around the water.
Ocaquatics has adopted the SAFER 3 message: Safer water, safer people, and safer response! The "r" in SAFER reminds us there is always a risk when in or around water.
For Safer Water, fence your pool and lock your gate. Learn to Identify the risk associated with activities in, on and around the water and how to reduce those risks. Parents should place several barriers between the home and the pool. That means installing locks on every door and window leading to the pool area. The fence should be equipped with self-closing and self-latching gates, and should prevent direct access to the pool from the house.
Four sided isolation fencing in every pool could prevent 50-90 percent of childhood drownings and near drownings. Other barriers include pool and hot tub covers and pool alarms that will alert parents if a child falls into the water.
For Safer People, constant adult supervision is key to preventing accidents around the water and no child should ever be left unattended around pools or open water. Children should only be near the pool when there is a responsible adult watching the pool. This is especially important when there is a pool party or many people in the pool. When everyone is watching, then no one is watching! Everyone assumes that another person is watching the water and that is when an accident can happen.
One person should always be the designated water watcher and they should have no other responsibilities or have any alcoholic beverages.
In addition you should teach your kids to swim. Even toddlers can learn basic swimming skills that they can use if they ever end up in the water. And a good swimming program will always teach safer behaviors for children and families around the pool. However, even children with excellent swimming skills need the watchful eye of an adult to help keep them safer around the water.
For Safer Response, preparation is needed. Would you know what to do in an emergency situation. If you had to, could you perform CPR on a loved one?
Reduce the risk during an emergency by learning emergency response techniques. Adults should know how to perform CPR, and should post emergency instructions near the pool. Families should have an emergency action plan and a phone nearby at all times. Carry a cell or cordless phone outside in case of an emergency.
We feel that Following the SAFER 3 is the way to keep your family safer around the water! To learn more about the national Safer 3 Water Safety Foundation visit www.safer3.org.
Miren Oca is the director of Ocaquatics Swim School in Hialeah Gardens. Ocaquatics is dedicated to keeping families SAFER around the water. For more information, visit www.ocaquatics.com.