Go over water safety with kids

Published 3:40 pm Friday, May 29, 2015

For hearty Northwesterners like ourselves, and our kids in particular, it doesn’t take temperatures much above 75 degrees to turn our thoughts to spending a sunny day near the water, be it a sandy beach, lakeshore, along a river or even a pool at home. And the water is a strong attraction, especially for kids.

About 3,500 people, many of them children under the age of 4, die each year of drowning in the U.S., according to the U.S. Swim School Association. Of particular danger in Snohomish County are its rivers, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Lt. Rodney Rochon told Herald Writer Rikki King earlier in May. This time of year especially, the rivers often are running fast and cold with snowmelt. “That’s where most of the drownings and accidents seem to occur in our area,” Rochon said.

Soon enough the kids will be done with school and parents who are looking for a fun and affordable way to spend the afternoon will want to take the family to the beach. But before you gather the towels, Frisbees and sunscreen, spend some time refreshing yourself on the water safety tips below and go over them with your kids, too.

One specific reminder, first: Fewer and fewer beaches and other swimming areas in Snohomish County are staffed by lifeguards. While most public pools, including the Forest Park Swim Center in Everett, employ lifeguards, citing a tight budget the City of Everett elected to eliminate the use of lifeguards at Silver Lake this year. And even where lifeguards are present, an adult always should be watching when children are in the water.

The following tips are offered by the American Red Cross and the U.S. Swim School Association:

• Create a verbal cue for your child that he or she must give you before entering the water.
• Only swim in designated areas.
• Always swim with a buddy.
• Start children in swim lessons as early as 6 months of age and continue year-round.
• Don’t let children rely on waterwings or flotation devices when learning to swim, and don’t let life jackets substitute for adult supervision. Children also should avoid using swim goggles and should accustom themselves to opening their eyes in water when learning to swim. Young children can practice and get comfortable by putting their face underwater in the bathtub and blowing bubbles.
• Set rules for swimming. For example, set limits based on ability; do not let anyone play around drains and suction fittings; and do not allow swimmers to hyperventilate before swimming under water or have breath-holding contests.
• Make sure guests and kids’ friends know the rules of your pool at home.
• Create a water safety plan with your family and train your children to recognize the signs of someone struggling in the water and how to respond.
• Around open bodies of water and in boats and other watercraft, make sure children are wearing U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vests. Many parks offer free use of life jackets, which can sometimes be found in cabinets at the beach. Many fire stations in the county also will have life jackets to lend.
• Have a phone nearby and be ready to call 911.