Water Safety - Pools and Bathtubs

Air Date: 6/9/2003

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Whether at the beach or in the backyard, there are rules to follow to make swimming, boating, and other water based activities as safe and injury-free as possible. According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death in children ages 14 and under, taking nearly 1,000 children's lives each year. For children ages 1 to 2, drowning is the leading cause of injury death. Knowledge and prevention is a powerful tool for combating these tragedies.

General Water Safety Tips

• Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. Always swim with a buddy; never swim alone. The American Red Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and swimming ability. To enroll in a swim course, contact your local Red Cross chapter.
• Swim in supervised areas only.
• Obey all rules and posted signs.
• Watch out for the "dangerous too's"-- too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much strenuous activity.
• Don’t mix alcohol and swimming. Alcohol impairs your judgement, balance, and coordination, affects your swimming and diving skills, and reduces your body's ability to stay warm.
• Pay attention to local weather conditions and forecasts. Stop swimming or boating at the first indication of bad weather.
• Know how to prevent, recognize, and respond to emergencies.

Keeping Children Safe In, On, and Around the Water

• Never leave your children unobserved around water. Adult supervision is always recommended.
• Install a phone by the pool or keep a cordless phone nearby so that you can call 9-1-1 in an emergency.
• Learn CPR and insist that babysitters, grandparents, and others who care for your child know CPR.
• Post CPR instructions and 9-1-1 or your local emergency number in the pool area.
• Enclose the pool completely with a self-locking, self-closing fence. If the house is part of the barrier, the doors leading from the house to the pool should remain locked and be protected with an alarm that produces sounds when the door is unexpectedly opened.
• Never leave furniture near the fence that would enable a child to climb over the fence.
• Always keep basic lifesaving equipment by the pool and know how to use it. Pole, rope, and personal flotation devices (PFDs) are recommended.
• Keep toys away from the pool when it is not in use. Toys can attract young children into the pool.
• Pool covers should always be completely removed prior to pool use.
• If a child is missing, check the pool first. Go to the edge of the pool and scan the entire pool, bottom, and surface, as well as the surrounding pool area.

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