Water Safety Tips

Summer is approaching, the weather is warming up and lots of activities are starting to be planned in and around the water.

As part of our Water Safety Week, we wanted to give parents a water safety checklist to make sure our children are always safe at the pool, river, lake and beach.

An adult watcher must be assigned to watch children in the pool and at the beach. Supervision is key, which means no mobile phones or devices – this is especially critical during parties or large gatherings.
Invite your kids into the pool or the ocean. Make it a rule that they are not allowed in the water until you or another adult goes in or an adult watcher is present. Running by the pool and jumping into the water is tempting but can be dangerous if a child slips, especially at the edge of the pool.
Never rely on water wings or other inflatable toys; they can give a false sense of security. Inflatable water wings can NOT protect your child from drowning.
Remove all toys from the pool when everyone has finished swimming. This will prevent children from trying to recover them when unsupervised.
If you have a pool in your backyard, make sure the pool is properly fenced and complies with current regulations. Understand that a pool gate must NEVER be propped open.
When out on the water in boats, kayaks, stand up paddle boards etc make sure children are wearing a life jacket.
Make sure to always swim between the flags when at a surf patrolled beach
Teach your children how to spot a rip and how to be safe at the beach. You can find out more about safety at the beach here http://www.findabeach.co.nz/besafe/
Throughout the year, have regular conversations with your children about swim safety, even when they aren’t at the pool or the beach, such as during a car ride or at dinner. Constant reminders and conversation will ingrain water safety into your children’s minds and habits.

In order to ensure your children safety in and around the water this summer make sure they book in for lessons at www.hiltonbrownswimming.co.nz.