Whether for a quick swim before bedtime or lounging the day away, water safety at the pool is an important precaution you should take, regardless of age or intended activities. When you’re ready to hit the water, it can be tempting to disregard possible safety hazards. The American Red Cross reports that around 200 children drown in backyard swimming pools each year, and, sadly, this number is full of preventable accidents. To prevent accidental drowning incidents, the Red Cross emphasizes supervision and security.

All too often you see pools without any obstructions. While it may be a little less aesthetically pleasing, you can be secure in the knowledge that the pool is surrounded by a fence or a gate to keep unwanted trespassers and curious children from coming too close to the water. In the event that you don’t want to pay for any kind of borders for your pool, you can also buy a pool cover for when the pool is not in use so that accidents are more preventable.

In addition, you must pay attention to you surroundings and areas that pose potential hazards while also keeping an eye on any children coming near the water. Inflatables can be a child’s best friend if they end up unable to swim as well as they need to, allowing for easy retrieval from the pool if they do happen to fall in.

Also important to water safety in swimming pools are safety procedures like CPR and administering first-aid to those injured in the pool. To obtain CPR and first-aid certification, you can access the Red Cross website to find your local organization and take classes. Both first-aid and CPR classes are OSHA-compliant and affordable. The training provided is adaptable to your learning schedule and style, making for an inclusive training process that leads to successful certifications for many who enroll in these classes. As society moves forward into an era that is allowing more and more freedom, a little supervision – and proper education – can go a long way.

Hands-Only CPR
(Usable by anyone, certified or uncertified)
1. Call 911.
2. Make sure the person is lying on their back on a flat surface with their head facing upward.
3. Apply chest compressions by overlapping your hands at the center of the chest, exactly between the lower pecs, and pushing down hard and fast at least 100 times per minute.
4. Continue chest compressions until the person begins to breathe, you physically cannot continue with proper form, or another trained first responder can take over.

When performing CPR, the ideal tempo of chest compressions is 100-120 times per minute. Here’s a list of song to hum that will keep you within that range.

1. “Stayin’ Alive” – Bee Gees
2. “Work It” – Missy Elliot
3. “Another One Bites the Dust” – Queen
4. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” – Cyndi Lauper
5. “Crazy in Love” – Beyonce ft. Jay Z
6. “Hips Don’t Lie” – Shakira
7. “Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd
8. “I Will Survive” – Gloria Gaynor

Pet Water Safety
1. Don’t just assume your dog can swim naturally; pets must learn to swim just like people, so allow them to swim in shallow water before letting them jump in the pool.
2. Pet-sized life jackets may not seem conventional, but they can make a difference in the event your dog becomes injured in the water and needs your help.
3. If your dog seems to be very hot, a small baby pool of shallow water will allow for the dog to cool off without having to worry about its ability to swim. Depending on its breed, some dogs are not meant to “doggie paddle” due to their short-snouts, like Boston terriers.
4. Swimming is just as exhausting for pets as it is for humans; keep an eye out for your pet in case they start to tire in the water and need help to get out.

Written by: Diamante Hewitt