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Water Safety Tips at Home

How to Watch Kids Around Water

  1. Watch kids when they are in or around water, without being distracted. Young children can drown in as little as one inch of water, so it’s important to keep them within an arm’s reach of an adult.
  2. Make sure you have everything you need for bath time, before placing your child in the tub. Gather towels, clothes, soaps and bath toys so you don’t have to leave children unsupervised.
  3. Empty tubs, buckets, containers and kids’ pools immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children’s reach.
  4. Close lids and doors. Keep toilet lids and doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed when not in use.

How to Keep Kids Safe Around Home Pools

  1. Swim with a partner. Keep young children and weak swimmers within arm’s reach of an adult. Make sure older children swim with a partner every time.
  2. Install fences around home pools. A pool fence should surround all sides of the pool and be at least four feet tall with self-closing and self-latching gates.
  3. Teach children how to swim. Every child is different, so enroll children in swim lessons when they are ready. Consider their age, development and how often they are around water.
  4. Make sure kids learn water survival skills. Children should be able to do these five things:
    • Step or jump into water over their head and return to the surface.
    • Turn around in the water and orient to safety.
    • Float or tread water.
    • Combine breathing with forward movement in the water.
    • Exit the water.
  5. Learn more about pool safety and swimming safety.

Learn Water Rescue Skills

  1.  Learn CPR and basic water rescue skills. It is important to know how to respond in an emergency without putting yourself at risk.

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