MAKE WATER SAFETY A PRIORITY

Alyssa Johnson

World-Herald Sta Writer

Pool days beat the summer heat, but they also come with a looming possibility of accidents.

For Blake Collingsworth and his wife Kathy, founders of Josh the Otter, that dreadful day came in June of 2008 when their toddler, Joshua, fell into the pool at a family get-together and drowned.

While the couple thought they had everything in place with a locked fence and high door locks, it only took a few minutes for them to lose their son forever. Now, they are working to get the message to other parents and adults while teaching children water safety with their children’s book, “Josh the Baby Otter.”

At the YMCA, Association Director of Aquatics Cheryll Peterson-Brachle is also trying to prevent fun afternoons at the pool from turning into fatal accidents with swimming lessons and life-saving classes.

Here are some water-safety tips to utilize this summer:

Set Boundaries With Your Child Around Water

The rst step to protecting your child from dangerous water situations is to establish the rules before they even touch the water. Whether you are at a friend’s house, a lake or your own backyard, teach your child from a young age that they must always ask for permission to get into the water.

“We talk to our kids about how it’s important to look both ways before you cross the street,” Peterson-Brachle said.

“It’s equally important that children ask a responsible adult before they get in the water.”

In addition to asking for permission, pair the children into swimming buddies who can look out for one another. Blake Collingsworth said it’s also important to discuss with children about tiring out and to communicate when they need to rest.

Perceptually, kids can think that rafts and safety points are closer than they actually are, Collingsworth said it’s important for children to understand when their bodies are becoming wary.

Set Standards With Present Adults To Watch The Children

Even if a lifeguard is present, Collingsworth and Peterson-Brachle agree that a responsible adult should provide an extra layer of protection with one more set of eyes.

“As lifeguards, we work really hard to watch and try to identify people when they get in trouble before it’s too late,” Peterson-Brachle said. “The parents are also a watchful eye over that because they know their kids. They can start to see that they’re getting tired, and then it might be necessary for them to restrict them to water that they can stand in or being in the water with them.”

For the adults watching the children, take 15-minute shifts with your undivided attention. This means putting away distractions such as a phone, book or leaving to grab a drink. After your shift, another adult should be designated to watch the pool.

Prepare Your Child To Succeed

Peterson-Brachle recommends signing up for swimming lessons as early as six months old to learn how to turn onto their back to get air in the event that they fall into the water. If a child can crawl, they can get to the water.

“Anytime the child is in a swimming lesson, you help decrease their risk of drowning,” she said.

In addition to swimming lessons, all non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guardapproved life jacket and have a responsible adult in the water. Peterson-Brachle said that even swimmers can quickly become a nonswimmer when they become tired.

While water wings and blow-up inner tubes are fun, she said they should be avoided as a safety piece as they frequently lose air and can put a child at risk.

Peterson-Brachle also recommends that parents buy bright-colored swimsuits so children are more easily identified in the scenario that a child becomes passive and goes under water. While pool water clarity does help, dark colors and blue shades of swimsuits can easily be unrecognizable at the bottom of a pool.

Assess The Situation Prior To Swimming

There are stark differences between public and private pools as opposed to open waters such as lakes and rivers.

Peterson-Brachle said that while swimming in open water, it’s difficult to know what the depth of the water is and what lies underneath. In addition, you should only swim in lakes and rivers that are designated for swimming. Open water is not as forgiving as pool water from the standpoint that it can lower visibility and currents can quickly take children under.

No matter where you are swimming, Collingsworth said, you should always locate where the shepherd’s hook is in case you must pull a child out of the water. Locate the AED and emergency phone.

Prepare A Safe Environment At Home And Away

For those with swimming pools at home, Collingsworth recommends having a locking fence around the water and covers for when the pool is not in use. He recommends adding a motion sensor camera that will send a notification to your phone. He suggests setting a specific alert sound to differentiate from other cameras on your property.

“If I would have had that on my phone when Joshua wandered out to that backyard pool, it would have alerted me. I could have looked at my phone and seen him out there,” he said.

Along with physical barriers to the pool, Peterson-Brachle recommends keeping toys out of the water when they are not in use to avoid the attraction to the pool. Oftentimes, she said, kids will reach into the water for a toy, fall in and quickly become a fatality. She also said to keep a first aid kit, extension pole or shepherd’s hook, life jackets and an emergency phone nearby.

Prepare Yourself

Finally, when taking precautions for your child, you should also consider your own situation in the water. While swimming lessons are recommended for your child, PetersonBrachle recommends that parents take swimming lessons as well for those who don’t know how to swim. Organizations like the YMCA teach children as young as six months old as well as teenagers and adults.

Another resource parents should consider is learning CPR and introducing the concept to their kids. The American Red Cross, National Safety Council of Nebraska and other organizations provide training courses for individuals and groups to learn life saving skills.