Published: July 04, 2009 08:49 pm      

Splish-splash

When enjoying water sports, take nothing for granted

It’s summer, for goodness’ sake! You don’t need one more thing to worry about.

Well, yes, you do.

Protecting your kids’ safety during the summer months takes on added dimension because of a wider variety of potential dangers.

First, there’s water. Nothing splashes away sweltering summer heat than a dip in a pool. Swimming, boating and camping bring families together for some of the best entertainment. Vigilance and strict adherence to some basic safety rules can ensure these occasions end with everyone going home safe and sound.

According to statistics compiled by the American Academy of Pediatrics, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children and adolescents.

The AAP recommends the following recommendations for parents:

- First, teach your kids to swim. If you don’t know how to swim, learn. Your local YMCA most likely offers swimming classes for all ages. Knowing how to swim can be the first safeguard for enjoying water sports.

- Even if everyone in your group knows how to swim, take nothing for granted when you’re around water. Expert swimmers can drown. Accidents happen in milliseconds of time. Never leave children unattended around water, be it an indoor pool or an outdoor recreation are with trained lifeguards. Take responsibility for keeping your eyes on your children every minute.

- For home pools, keep a life preserver and a shepherd’s hook in the pool area to help pull a child to the edge of the pool.

The AAP recommendations for children:

- Never swim alone.

- Never dive into water except when permitted by an adult who knows the depth of the water and who has checked for underwater objects.

- Always use a life jacket when on a boat, fishing or playing in a river or stream.

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Personal water craft can provide hours of fun and entertainment. Know how to use one safely before you head into the water.

According to the AAP, these recreational vehicles are the only ones for which the leading cause of death is not drowning. Most fatalities result from blunt trauma caused by a collision with another water vehicle or stationary objects. When drowning occurs with the use of a PWC, most victims are not wearing personal floatation devices.

Recklessness, lack of experience in operating a PWC and the use of alcohol by PWC operators are often chief culprits when accidents occur.

The AAP recommends the following guidelines for safety with a PWC:

- No one younger than 16 years should operate PWC.

- The operator and every passenger must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device.

- Alcohol or other drug use should be avoided before and while operating PWC.

- Participation in a safe boater course with specific information about PWC should be required before operating PWC.

- Safe operating practices, such as no operation between sunset and sunrise, no wake jumping and observing posted speed limits or no-wake zones, should be followed. (No-wake zone means the craft speed is slow enough that no wake is formed behind the craft as it crosses a specific area.)

- PWCs should not be operated where swimmers are in the water.

- If a PWC is being used to tow another person on skis, knee boards, tubes or other devices, a second person must face the rear to monitor the person being towed.

- All persons who rent PWC should be required to comply with these recommendations.

— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com