Best Water-Safety Practices: A Comprehensive Guide To Drowning Prevention

Whenever we think of summer, we are always eager to take refreshing dips at the beach or in the swimming pools around us. It’s always exciting to plan beach trips with friends and family and beat the scorching heat. But amidst all the fun, there is one thing about which we should always be careful and alert: drowning.

Drowning: A major concern

According to the report by Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 4,000 fatal unintentional drownings, that is an average of 11 drowning deaths per day and around 8000 nonfatal drownings, that is an average of 22 nonfatal drownings per day, occur every year in the United States.

This crucial data is surely calling for some attention. So let’s look at some best ways to prevent and control drowning accidents.

• Know the basics – The most common and important way is to learn the basics of swimming. Even beginner-level swimming training can be beneficial against drowning. Hence it’s important to ensure that you take basic lessons before hitting the beach. 

• Life jacket – Life jackets are a must even for someone who’s an excellent swimmer and especially for children. The jackets are a great tool to prevent and reduce the chance of drowning accidents to a large extent.

• Learn CPR – Knowing how to give CPR can save lives while the paramedic’s team takes charge. You can learn online or in-person CPR lessons conducted by various organisations. Also, we at the West Coast Water Safety provide a variety of basic water rescue courses to train our participants to respond to any situation and avoid accidents quickly.

• Avoid Toys – It’s always wise to avoid having air-filled or foamed toys in the pool. According to the Florida Department of Health report, the state leads the US in annual fatal child drownings for children younger than five years. The majority of accidents are due to the toys used.

• Supervision – The saddening data revealed by the reports indicates a lack of supervision of children and new swimmers. It’s our responsibility to be alert and attentive with children around swimming pools, ponds or lakes.

Bottom line

Keeping these things in mind, West Coast Water Safety is dedicated to ensuring your safety with its highly trained and professional staff of lifeguards, paramedics, beach inspectors and many more.