KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Every day we are getting that much closer to summer and with the warmer temperatures comes a lot of time on the water.
Amanda Roland, aquatics director with the YMCA of East Tennessee, wants to remind parents that, even though the pool can be a fun time for children, things can take a turn for the worse in just a matter of seconds. That is why she said safety needs to be top of mind.
Here are some safety tips for you if you plan on spending time at the pool with your kids this summer:
1. Put any distractions down. Roland said the best way to keep your children safe while they are on the water is to keep your eyes on them at all times.
"Get in the water and play with them," she commented. "They are only going to be little for a short amount of time."
2. Sign them up for swim classes. Also, you should make sure you know how to do CPR in case of an emergency.
3. Buy them the proper flotation devices. Roland said you do not want to trust anything you have to blow up with air.
"I like to tell people that anything that you blow up with air is a toy because it is just not reliable because they can pop, they can lose air," she explained. "You want to pick anything with foam, a life jacket, a puddle jumper. Those flotations are more reliable than water wings or the little blow-up inner tubes. Even for babies they make foam baby floats."
As the school year comes to a close, many parents are probably shopping for new swimsuits for their children. A study by Alive Solutions Inc. shows bright-colored swimsuits are the best options for children because, if something were to happen and they fall to the bottom of the pool, it would be easier to spot them with a bright bathing suit.
Roland said are other things to keep in mind when shopping for a swimsuit.
"Maybe the style of the swimsuit because children get cold easily," she mentioned. "Also sun protection, we want to think about that. So things with long sleeves, a water shirt over the swimsuit, or trunks."