Safe Summer Splashing!

Are you heading out to the pool this Fourth of July holiday and over the summer months ???  

We want to remind you to practice as many water safety tips as possible.  You can enjoy the benefits of swimming AND make safety a top priority.

Water safety is something we all should be concerned about all year and not just during the summer months.  It only takes a minute or inches of water for a small child to drown, so taking extra steps at home and around pools can help reduce incidents of drowning.

To increase awareness about water safety, the YMCA has partnered up with Pool Safely to provide important tips to help keep your child safe this summer and throughout the year.  Here are helpful tips to keep children safe.

At pools, spas and other recreational waters:

• Never leave a child unattended around a pool, spa, bathtub or any body of water.
• Teach children basic water safety skills.
• Have a telephone close by at all times when visiting a pool or spa.
• If a child is missing, look for them in the pool or spa first, including neighbor’s pools or spas.
• Share safety instructions with family, friends, babysitters and neighbors.

If you have a pool:

• If you have a pool at home, install a 4-foot fence around the perimeter of the pool and spa, including portable pools.
• Install a pool or door alarm.
• Use self-closing and self-latching gates; ask neighbors to do the same if they have pools or spas.
• Have lifesaving equipment such as life rings, floats or a reaching pole available and easily accessible.

At home:

• Always keep a young child within arm’s reach in a bathtub.  If you leave, take the child with you.
• Never leave a baby or youth child in a bathtub under the care of another young child.
• Never leave a bucket or basin containing even a small amount of liquid unattended.  Always empty and store buckets where young children cannot reach them.
• Consider placing locks on toilet seat covers in case a young child wanders into the bathroom.

To learn more about how to keep children safe visit:

http://www.poolsafely.gov/.  To enroll your child in swim lesson visit http://ymcacolumbus.org/swim-lessons.

Happy Independence Day and remember to keep water safety a priority this summer!

Elissa James
Metropolitan Aquatics Director

YMCA of Central Ohio

Guest contributor