Celebrate Healthy & Safe Swimming Week with these Safety Tips
Summer is here! The best way to beat the heat is to chill in the water. Whether you are heading to the pool, the beach, the river or the lake, safety is key.
If you plan to be in or on the water, learn to swim. Knowing how to swim can reduce the risk of drowning.
Other ways to prevent drowning include:
- Provide adult supervision for all children in the water.
- Learn CPR.
- Always swim with a buddy. Never swim alone.
- Avoid swimming after dark.
- Watch for swimming hazards like rip currents and rough waters.
- Observe any advisories and listen to lifeguards.
- Wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. “Floaties,” arm bands or water wings are not safety devices.
Germs may be in the places you swim and can be a threat to your summer fun.
Remember these tips to prevent illnesses when swimming:
- Do shower with soap and water BEFORE and AFTER swimming.
- Don’t swim if you are ill.
- Don’t swim or play in water if you or your child has been sick with diarrhea in the past two weeks. Diarrhea and swimming don’t mix!
- Do use swim diapers on infants and toddlers.
- Don’t swallow the water you swim in! A mouthful of water with germs can make you sick for 2-3 weeks.
- Do cover any open wounds or cuts. Don’t swim if your skin has cuts or open wounds.
- Don’t swim after rainfall. Heavy rain picks up anything it encounters including germs from overflowing sewage, polluted storm water, and runoff from land.
- Don’t swim in water with a foul or chemical odor or discolored water.
- Don’t swim near or touch dead or dying fish.
- Do check the water and the area around it before swimming. Avoid going in water if there is a green film on the water or if the water is cloudier than usual. Some harmful algal blooms can be dangerous.
- Don’t swim near piers, pipes, storm drains or livestock.
- Do properly dispose of waste. Boaters should safely dispose of boat waste at pump outs. Pet owners should pick up after their pets!
Visit swimhealthyva.com for more information on pool safety and open water and beach safety. Remember: swim safe, stay safe!