It’s summertime in Texas which means thousands of us flock to the waters to cool off and get a break from the relentless heat. While a fun pastime, pool and water safety need to be top of mind to ensure your loved ones remain safe this summer.

So, what exactly does pool safety mean? For starters, it’s important to know about ten people drown every day in the United States, and two of those drownings are for children aged fourteen and younger. When someone is drowning, you might expect to hear shouting and thrashing, but the reality is drowning is usually silent and you may not know someone is in trouble until it’s too late. You might be asking what you can do to prevent a drowning tragedy, and we have some tips.

Supervision

It’s imperative that you pay attention at all times to the people around you and your pool. While it can be tough to keep your eye on multiple children, it’s crucial you do so. If you’re hosting a party, asking adults to be aware of the children can aid in the prevention of accidents.  Additionally, limit alcohol around water or keep a close eye on any intoxicated adults. They too could fall in the water and not be able to recover. If young children are in the water, be sure a competent adult swimmer is within an arm’s reach of the children at all times.

Learn to Swim

Swim classes and instruction are an excellent way to prevent drownings and accidents. Ensuring your family is adequately equipped in swimming lessons. While solid swimming skills are a must, please don’t assume you can let your guard down. Even big kids shouldn’t swim alone.

In addition to supervision and swim lessons, the American Red Cross suggests the following:

• Securing your pool with appropriate barriers
• Designating a “water watcher” and stay in arm’s reach of young children
• Install anti-entrapment drain covers and safety release system to protect against drain entrapment
• If a child goes missing, check the water first

While accidents happen, we hope these tips and advice are helpful and provide reassurance when enjoying the water this summer. We at Ramey King want all our clients to have a happy, healthy, and safe summer!