June is National Safety Month and coincides with the end of school and the beginning of summer. This makes summer swimming safety particularly important, as kids find welcome relief in pools, ponds, and puddles across the greater Atlanta area. Sadly, they may find themselves in distress and parents must often cope with grief due to a lapse in basic water safety precautions.
At Brownstein & Nguyen, we offer these water safety tips in an effort to reduce the number of potential clients in need of legal services by one of Atlanta’s preeminent personal injury lawyers.
Swim in Water; Drink Water
Diane McKinsey, a pool lifeguard certified by the International Lifeguard Trainer Program, works at a water park. She has one piece of water safety advice for parents: please don’t drink alcohol.
Too often, she says, alcohol interferes with adults’ summer water safety awareness. Under the effects of alcohol, parents often lose sight of their children and tragedy can result. Says McKinsey, “If you and your kids are going to swim in water, then drink water — nothing stronger.”
Be Water Wise
The National Safety Council (NSC) points out drowning as the leading cause of death among children 1 to 4 years of age. NSC recommends parents be extra vigilant around water, including paying attention to boating safety tips as well as general water safety tips.
- No child is drown-proof
- Lifeguards are not babysitters
- Undertows exist in all bodies of water—pool suction fittings and drains can trap a child underwater
- Even strong swimmers should wear life jackets—The NSC provides many additional boating safety tips at its safety-conscious website
- As a parent, you are your child’s best protector, so get trained for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- If your child is out of your sight, first check bodies of water before looking elsewhere.
Teach Your Children Well
From three-year-olds to adults, all swimmers should learn basic summer water safety. The NSC recommends all swimmers learn:
- Not to swim alone
- To be prepared for an emergency
- To avoid diving into unknown bodies of water
- Never to push others into water or jump on others already in water
If through accident or another’s negligence, you find yourself needing a lawyer because of a water-related mishap, contact the personal injury lawyers at Brownstein & Nguyen. Protect your rights and those who depend on you.
