As summer rolls in, we start spending more time outside and doing popular water activities such as swimming, paddle boarding, tubing, fishing, canoeing, rafting, and sailing, to name a few. When we participate in water-based activities, it is essential that we are aware of our safety and the precautions we can take to keep ourselves as well as others safe. The American Red Cross describes the importance of safety: “It only takes a moment. A child or weak swimmer can drown in the time it takes to reply to a text, check a fishing line or apply sunscreen.”
Here are tips to stay safe in the water this summer:
- Know your limitations, including physical fitness and medical conditions.
- Never swim alone; swim with lifeguards and/or water watchers present.
- Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket appropriate for your weight and size and the water activity. Always wear a life jacket while boating, regardless of swimming skill.
- Swim sober.
- Know how to call for help.
Understand and adjust to the unique risks of the water environment you are in, such as:
- River currents.
- Ocean rip currents.
- Water temperature.
- Shallow or unclear water.
- Underwater hazards, such as vegetation, rocks, and animals.
For more information, see:
https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/get-help/water-safety/water-safety-tips.pdf · https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/get-help/water-safety/Water_Safety_Skills_Infographic.pdf · https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/Health-Safety-Services/Aquatics/circle-of-drowning-prevention.pdf