We all love to swim. After all, what easy way to beat the scorching heat than to take a plunge into a cool swimming pool but safety during swimming and being around any water body is absolutely necessary. The statistics show a scary figure where drowning is said to be the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury and death around the world. Around 360,000 people lose their life in drowning accidents every year. If despite all this, nothing is done to educate the masses to implement better safety measures then this neglected issue would claim far more lives.
This issue has also raised concerns in the WHO and the organization is doing its best to educate people on safety measures that they need to keep a check off to prevent any drowning incident. It conducts a global survey each year to keep a tab on the statistical data of drowning-related injuries and death and also releases a manual on water safety measures.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you will keep away from all swimming pools and encourage your kids to do the same. Instead of being a killjoy and depriving others and yourself of this fun filled summer activity, just take some precautions:
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1. Letting kids do anything without supervision is asking for trouble and leaving them unsupervised at poolside is a disaster in the making. The best thing to do in this situation is to teach kids water safety and swimming skills as early as you possibly can. Also, make sure there is always an adult supervising youngsters at the pool area.
2. Learn CPR, this basic life safety skill can come really handy and prevent any small accident from turning fatal. If your kids are old enough, it is advisable to teach them too.
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3. If you have a swimming area then make sure you have necessary rescue equipment as well. Waiting for the paramedics to arrive can sometimes mean losing out on precious minutes that can be the deciding factor between death and life.
4. Install fencing around the pool as it would ensure better safety and make sure the gates are self-closing and don’t leave them open.
5. Pools may be a great place to let your hair down but alcohol and water bodies don’t mix well. Being around any deep water body in an inebriated state can lead to a fatal accident.
6. A first aid kit and life jackets can always help control a lot of accidental injuries so keep it handy near the poolside.
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7. Install alarms on doors that open to the swimming pool to keep a check on the kids and to prevent them from entering the area without any monitoring.
8. Your fur babies are as prone to danger as your kids and don’t be under the assumption that all dogs are natural swimmers. Pugs, Bulldogs, and Chihuahuas are prone to breathing problems and at times might get overwhelmed with water. The trick is to let them learn at their own ease and preferably with a life jacket.
9. Give your dog a good bath after he or she is done swimming as the chemicals from the water can have an adverse effect on his skin.
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10. Always know the local emergency number and call 9-1-1 for help.
11. Prefer to swim with a close pal rather than swimming alone.
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