As warmer weather approaches, pools and splash pads are opening and more families are headed to Western New York beaches.
We recruited some water safety experts from the Buffalo Niagara YMCA to give you some safety pointers this National Water Safety Month.
One of the biggest tips to keep people safe around water is knowing basic swim skills. The YMCA network in Western New York has a number of swim classes for children as young as six months old, ranging all the way to adult senior classes.
The following tips come from National Water Safety Month's website:
- Staying close, being alert and watching children in and around the pool
- ? Never leave a child unattended in a pool or spa and always watch your child when he or she is in or near water
- ? Keep children away from pool drains, pipes and other openings to avoid entrapments
- ? Have a telephone close by when you or your family is using a pool or spa
- ? If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first
- ? Share safety instructions with family, friends and neighbors
- ? Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim
- ? Learn to perform CPR on children and adults and update those skills regularly
- ? Understand the basics of life-saving so that you can assist in a pool emergency
- ? Install a four-foot or taller fence around the pool and spa and use self-closing and self- latching gates; ask your neighbors to do the same at their pools
- ? Install and use a lockable safety cover on your spa.
- ? If your house serves as a fourth side of a fence around a pool, install door alarms and always use them. For additional protection, install window guards on windows facing pools or spas.
- ? Install pool and gate alarms to alert you when children go near the water
- ? Ensure any pool and spa you use has compliant drain covers and ask your pool service
- provider if you don’t know.
- ? Maintain pool and spa covers in good working order
- ? Consider using a surface wave or underwater alarm
