Summer is the time when millions of Americans grab their swimsuits and head to the beach. Swimming is a fun activity and a great form of exercise, but it can also pose some dangers. Drowning is the fourth leading cause of accidental death in the United States.
Here are some tips from the American Red Cross to help make your stay at the beach safer:
- Learn to swim.
- Always swim with a buddy or in areas supervised by a lifeguard.
- Read and obey all rules and posted signs.
- Check out the current or riptide, depth, and other hazards.
- Children or inexperienced swimmers should take precautions, such as wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device (PFD) when around the water.
- Never leave children unattended even if they know how to swim.
- Set water safety rules for the whole family based on swimming abilities (for example, inexperienced swimmers should stay in water less than chest deep).
- Pay attention to local weather conditions and forecasts. Stop swimming at the first sign of bad weather.
- Use a feet-first entry when entering the water.
- Enter headfirst only when the area is clearly marked for diving and has no obstructions.
- Watch out for the dangerous “too’s” – too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much strenuous activity.
- Protect your skin by wearing a sunscreen with a protection factor of 15 or higher. Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
- Drink plenty of water regularly. Your body needs water to keep cool.
- Avoid alcohol while swimming or boating. It impairs your judgment and makes it more difficult for you to stay warm. This is especially true with beer, which dehydrates the body.
- Wear sunglasses that absorb at least 90 percent of UV sunlight.
- Wear something on your feet to protect them against getting burned from the sand or cut from glass in the sand.
For more complete information on water safety, visit the American Red Cross website.
Source: “Water Safety Tips,” American Red Cross, www.redcross.org.
