Summer is a time when people want to get outdoors, enjoy the warm weather and the many activities that go along with it. Unfortunately, summer is also considered trauma season for these very reasons as well—an increased number of people outdoors participating in potentially dangerous activities.
But we want everyone to be safe and have a trauma-free summer season, so take a moment to check out these water safety tips.
Drownings are the leading cause of injury death for young children ages 1 to 4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Always supervise children when in or around water. A responsible adult should constantly watch young children.
- Teach kids to swim. Formal swimming lessons can protect young children from drowning.
- Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Your CPR skills could save someone’s life, and you can learn hands-only CPR in less than two minutes.
- Install a four-sided fence around home pools.
- Children should wear a properly fitted life jacket every time they are in the water until they can swim.
- Drowning is silent, especially in infants and children—their lungs are so small it takes very little water to fill them.
When boating, keep these helpful hints in mind:
- Wear slip-resistant shoes when on a boat.
- Avoid the back of the boat where the motor propeller is.
- Get off the water when there is a storm approaching, even if there is no lightning.
- Avoid alcohol, and remember to stay hydrated when experiencing prolonged exposure to the heat and sun.
- Stay seated while the boat is moving.
