Pool & Water Safety This Summer

The Golden Rule: Wear SPF! We cannot stress enough how much damage the sun does to your skin. Wearing SPF 35 or higher will protect you from nearly all of the sun’s harmful UV rays. Be sure to find a sunscreen that is water resistant for up to 80 minutes when going into the pool. Sun damage not only makes us age faster, but significantly increases our chances of getting skin cancer. Remember to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours while also being aware of how much sunscreen is recommended. Typically people only wear 30% to 50% of the recommended amount of sunscreen. A good way to measure how much is required is to use 1 ounce of product for your whole body. Certain sunscreens are cleaner for your and your childrens’ use. We will cover this topic in a later blogpost.

Pro-Tip: Wear sunscreen daily as we are consistently exposed to the sun while walking or playing outside and driving. Clouds do not stop UV rays from penetrating the atmosphere and damaging our skin.

Okay, now to the REALLY serious stuff: Drowning

There are about 10 unintentional drownings each day in America, with 20% being children under the age of 15. It is vital for your children’s safety to keep an eye on your children or to attend a pool that has a lifeguard that keeps watch. While death from drowning usually takes anywhere from three to four minutes, those that are drowning typically can only stay afloat from 20 to 60 seconds before becoming submerged underwater – and we all know a minute flies by rather quickly when we are distracted. Accidental drowning is highly avoidable and should not be taken lightly.

Here are some rules for you to consider:

1. Never leave children unattended in or near water (this includes bathtubs, jacuzzis, beaches, lakes, etc.). Children can often slip on the side of the pool or in the bathtub. If they are knocked unconscious they cannot even cause a scene that may catch your attention. It is also recommended that you stay within arms’ reach of a child to take action as swiftly as possible. If you are one to get distracted, we recommend taking another adult capable of swimming to the pool or beach with you, otherwise do not place your kids in a dangerous situation you may end up regretting.
2. Teach children how to swim. At the very least, teach your children how to float on the water. Interestingly, as long as the water bears more weight than your body, you will float if you know how to distribute the weight through your body. Your lungs essentially act as a balloon or a floatation device to keep you above the water.
3. Make sure all pools and spas have safety compliant drain covers.
4. Install alarms around your at-home pools so you are always aware when someone is entering your pool.
5. Learn how to perform CPR and teach any and all guardians the technique. Taking a safety course from providers such as the American Red Cross can be the difference between your child living or dying from a pool or drowning related incident.

If you or al over one has been injured at a public pool or someone else’s pool, contact us today for a FREE consultation at (571) 229 – 1800.