Water Safety

Sunny days are here to stay!

When summertime arrives, many people look forward to taking a refreshing dip in the water to cool off on hot days. During the valley\’s warm summer months, swimming becomes an extremely popular recreational activity. As the snow melts in the Sequoias and fills our lakes and rivers, people pack their swimsuits and make their way up the hills to splash around. But before those long summer days lounging by the lake or pool arrive, it\’s important to remember how to stay safe around water.

Water safety is as simple as A, B, C …

Always Be Careful!

 Follow these safety actions whenever you are in, on, or around water:

• Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
• Always swim with a buddy. Do not allow anyone to swim alone, even at a public pool or lifeguarded beach. The buddy system saves lives!
• Ensure that everyone in the family learns to swim well. Enroll non-swimmers in age-appropriate swim lessons.
• Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child\’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
• Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
• Avoid alcohol use. Alcohol impairs judgment, balance and coordination; affects swimming and diving skills; and reduces the body\’s ability to stay warm.

Drowning can happen in an instant but practicing water safety can reduce the changes of experiencing a tragedy. Making safety a top priority will help you and your loved ones stay safe and have fun all summer long.