William Ntaldi, Media Liaison Officer for the Disaster and Emergency Management Services in Ekurhuleni (DEMS) has issued the following advice.
“Parents need to recognise that swimming lessons do not protect kids from drowning, only constant supervision can.”
He advises parents to always ensure the swimming instructors they choose for their children are certified and they have the proper experience to offer swimming lessons.
Parents need to understand that summertime is a fun time with great weather for children to play in and around water, however, they must be mindful that swimming can be very dangerous.
It is important to know what types of precautions to take and what they should be aware of in terms of keeping their children safe in the water.
Basic Water Safety Rules:
- Water Safety starts with correct supervision.
- Children cannot be left alone in the swimming pool, even in a kiddie`s 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 the smaller children under the supervision of other older children as this may be a fatal practice.
- Invite other parents and adults to help supervise a bigger 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 will be alert at all times.
- Knowledge of basic Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is essential for 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.”
Drowning Prevention:
Ntladi offers these tips to keep children safe around the swimming pool.
- There is no substitute for a four- sided fence around the swimming pool.
- The fencing around the swimming pool must not be able to be climbed by children and it must have a self-closing or self-latching gate that is above the reach of children.
- There should be nothing around the swimming pool which would facilitate children climbing over the fence to gain access to the pool.
- Other children in the neighbourhood should not have access to the yard 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 four-sided pool fence.
- Swimming pools should be covered with a pool-net at all times whenever not in use.
- Keep toys away from the swimming pool when not being used.
- Air filled or floating devices are not substitution to life jackets. They are not meant to be used as safety devices.
