Red Cross Basic Water Safety

If you’re like most people, you spend at least some time in or around the water, so knowing how to swim and the safety rules to follow can save your life, or the life of someone else. The American Red Cross offers basic water tips and swim lessons to help everyone stay safe.

Dangers

• You may already know the frightening feeling of nearly drowning or know someone who has drowned. The Red Cross says that nearly 50 percent of those questioned had a near-drowning accident, and a full quarter had lost someone they knew to the water. As many as 1,100 children in the country die from drowning each year, with very young children and teen boys being the most frequent victims, the American Academy of Pediatrics notes, adding that learning to swim can save lives.

Safety Guidelines

• Stay safe by following the Red Cross guidelines for using pools or natural bodies of water. Posted areas staffed by a lifeguard make the safest places to swim, and you should never swim alone. Swim lessons can prevent a tragedy, and the Red Cross offers Learn to Swim courses for all ages. Other safety tips recommended by the Red Cross include using U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets on kids or adults unskilled in swimming; not allowing swimmers to roughhouse or take chances in the water; being extra careful in and around lakes, rivers and oceans; and wearing a life jacket while boating.

Swim Lessons

• Water fun means staying safe by learning to swim.

  The Red Cross has developed a Learn to Swim program, with classes for parents and their babies or toddlers. In 2005, the organization revised its program for older children and adults, offering six levels of lessons progressing from water skills introduction to fundamental skills, through stroke development and improvement to refining those skills and becoming a proficient swimmer.

Where To Learn

• You can find out where the Red Cross offers swim classes in your area by contacting your local chapter or through the Red Cross website (see References). Many local pools and aquatic centers offer the curriculum.

Warnings

• Even if they've had swim lessons, young children should be supervised closely in and around the water, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises. The organization also recommends a fence at least 4 feet high around home pools. If you are tempted to fit your child with inflatable water wings, don’t think they are a substitute for a life jacket and supervision. If an accident happens, check the water for the missing person, be ready to dial 911, and have lifesaving equipment and a first aid kit on hand. It’s also a good idea to learn CPR and lifesaving techniques, according to the Red Cross.