Whether you’re all for the summer weather or not, nothing is more essential than a watchful eye and simple safety tips.
Here’s a list of tips to stay safe this summer:
“With the summer and festive season ahead we also face the sad reality of child drownings,” said ER24 spokesperson, Jan Henk van Vuuren.
An adult should actively watch children at all times while they are in or near a pool.
“For infants and toddlers, an adult should be in the water and within arms’ reach, providing touch supervision,” explained Mr van Vuuren. “For older children, an adult should be paying constant attention and free from distractions, like socializing, tending household chores, or drinking alcohol.”
In addition, the supervising adult should know how to swim.
Rules for the pool:
– Keep toys out of sight.
– Empty blow-up pools after every use.
– Keep electrical appliances away from the pool.
– No running on the pool deck.
“To prevent small children from entering the pool area on their own, there should be a fence that completely surrounds the pool or spa. Combined with the watchful eyes of an adult, a fence is the best way to protect your child and other children who may visit or live nearby.”
For above-ground pools, always keep children away from steps or ladders. When the pool is not in use, lock or remove the ladders to prevent access by children.
While some swimming programmes claim to teach water survival skills to children less than 12 months old, the evidence does not show they are effective in preventing drownings.
“Swimming lessons do not provide drown-proofing for children of any age, so supervision and other layers of protection are necessary even for children who have learned swimming skills,” said Mr van Vuuren.
If you come across someone who is drowning, follow these simple steps:
– Remove victim from water.
– Call for help.
– Start Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or call someone who knows how to perform CPR.
– Ask someone to phone an ambulance.
“Learn how to perform CPR from a registered and accredited training institution. For more information, contact the ER24 Training Department on 011 803 7707,” concluded Mr van Vuuren.
