Swim Safely—

Keeping Kids Safe In The Summer

The YMCA has launched a national summer safety campaign: Keep Your Kids This Summer. The campaign emphasizes the safety of aquatic education.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, between 400 and 600 children will drown this summer in pools supervised by lifeguards. In addition, many of the children will be nonswimmers and will drown in the shallow end of the pool.

How can you know if your children are safe while swimming? Answer the following questions:

éAre the lifeguards in an elevated chair or standing or patrolling at the edge of the pool?

éDo the lifeguards have their rescue tube with the strap over their shoulder?

éDo the lifeguards have their protective equipment (mask and gloves) with them?

éAre the lifeguards constantly watching the pool — heads moving back and forth and up and down — looking at all areas, including under the water?

éDo the lifeguards have no distractions — such as conversation, checking chemicals, etc — that keep them from watching the pool?

If your children are in day camps or attend swim parties, or are swimming at events where you may not be present, how safe are they? Consider these questions:

éAre all children tested for their swimming ability?

éAre they marked and is their access to certain parts of the pool controlled?

éIs the deepest part of the nonswimming area shallower than the chest level of the swimmers?

For children to be as safe as possible, answers to all of these questions should be a strong, confident Yes.

The YMCA would like to promote safer aquatic activities, regardless of where they occur in the community. While the YMCA is recognized as a leader in aquatics within the community, during the summer months many kids will swim in places other than public pools. Parents must determine if their children are safe for themselves and others swimming around them, and whether the pools where they are swimming are being safely guarded.

Whether through a town Parks & Recreation department or through private instruction, the YMCA believes swimming lessons and water safety should be a part of every child’s summer plans.