SUMMER SAFETY 101

By Chris Walker • Photos Courtesy of Batavia Park District and Shaw Media

iving might be easy during summertime, but those fun summer adventures can also be risky, especially if you don’t take the necessary precautions to ensure safety.

Whether you’re spending a lot of time around water during the day or enjoying fireworks at night, it’s a great idea to learn how to stay safe this summer so you can do it again next year.

Without a doubt, especially after the spring we’ve endured, people are going to be itching to get outside under the warmth of the sun before finding somewhere wet to cool off. Swimming can provide instant coolness, but at the same time, safety is of utmost importance when in and around water.

“One of the biggest things we recommend is to wear some sort of bright color for a swimsuit,” says Julie Galauner, recreation supervisor of facilities & aquatics for the Batavia Park District. “Something red, orange or yellow. Stay away from blue and green.”

Galauner suggests learning the basic skills of swimming before ever entering the water.

“You’re never too young to learn how to swim,” she says. “The quarry offers swim lessons as well.”

Alex Tyler, owner of Goldfish Swim School in St. Charles, offers swim lessons to those as young as four months of age.

“There are three main things to water safety,” he said. “Always wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket, always have a designated water watcher, whose sole responsibility is to watch the pool and the kids in the group and isn’t distracted, and to take swimming lessons.”

Kids can get riled up and their energy creates another danger around the water.

“They shouldn’t play breath-holding games or horseplay in or around the water,” Galauner says. “It may sound selfexplanatory, but there’s concrete which can become a big issue with kids running around with their friends.”

Joey Kalwat, aquatics and facility manager for the Geneva Park District, cites the National Drowning Prevention Alliance’s (NDPA) open water swimming safety tips. Swimmers should swim in designated areas and never alone. Choosing the right equipment, recognizing the water and weather conditions, understanding currents, swimming parallel to shore and having a plan for emergencies provide a proactive approach to safety.

“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” NDPA reports. “It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”

Wayne Parson, assistant fire chief for the Sugar Grove Fire Protection District, advocates for the safety suggestions detailed by the National Safety Council regarding fireworks.

While it’s suggested to allow professionals to put on fireworks shows, if you are going to purchase consumer fireworks and light your own, be sure to follow tips that include never allowing young children to handle fireworks.

Wearing protective eyewear, only lighting them outdoors and never pointing or throwing them at another person should be common sense. Never attempting to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks and keeping a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off, as well as in case of a fire, are other important fireworks safety tips.

Finally, while sparklers are amazing to look at, they also burn at about 2,000 degrees. The National Safety Council suggests using glow sticks or something similar instead since the National Fire Protection Association reports that sparklers alone account for more than 25% of emergency room visits for fireworks injuries.

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