Keep your children safe in the water
Summer is a fun time, with great weather for children to play in and around water, but parents must be mindful that swimming can be potentially very dangerous.
According to William Ntladi, media liaison officer for the Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Services, it is important to know what types of precautions to take and what to be aware of in terms of keeping children safe in the water.
He advised parents to take note of the following:
* Water safety starts with correct supervision.
* Children cannot be left alone in the swimming pool, even if it is a kiddies’ pool.
* Parents should always exercise the touch and reach supervision strategy, which means that they are always within an arm`s length of the child.
* Parents shouldn`t leave smaller children under the supervision of older children, as this is a fatal exercise and practice.
* Invite other parents and adults to help to supervise a larger number of children in the pool as one adult can only manage a few.
* If there will be children swimming at a bigger gathering, be sure to designate pool guards who do not drink or socialise and are alert at all times.
* Basic Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is essential to parents and life guards with children who have access to pools.
* Floaters or inflatable devices are not an alternative to supervision, as they will not prevent children from drowning.
* Create basic rules for swimming pool like “no running,” “no diving” and “no swimming alone.”
* There is no substitute for a 4- sided fence around swimming-pool.
* Children must not be able to climb over the fence and it must have a self-closing or self-latching gate that is above the reach of children.
* Other children in the neighbourhood should not have access to the yard also as this will lure them to jump over the boundary fence into the premises to access the swimming pool.
* Pool covers, door alarms, and pool alarms work well in conjunction with fences but they are not a substitute for a pool fence.
* Swimming pools should be covered with a pool-net when not in use.
* Keep toys away from the swimming pool when not being used.
* Air-filled or floating devices are not substitution for life jackets. They are not meant to be used as safety devices.
“Parents need to recognise that swimming lessons do not protect kids from drowning, only constant supervision can,” said Ntladi.
“Always make sure that swimming instructors are certified and they have proper experience when giving swimming lessons to children.”
Emergency numbers:
* Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Services emergency number: 011 458 0911 (paid line)
* National emergency number: 10177
* Cellphone emergency number: 112
