This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. All opinions are 100% mine.
Summer is in full swing and most kids are home from school. And if your kids are anything like mine, they love to get in the water as much as possible. We often visit the pool, lakes, splash pad and just about any other place that will get a kid soaking wet. But as fun as these places can be, they can also be very dangerous if your not careful. Water safety is extremely important, especially in the summer months when kids are more active.
Water safety is a core focus of Make Safe Happen. There are almost 800 children that drown each year, with more than half of them being younger than the age of five. This number is devastating and I would love to see it down to ZERO. Summer is the perfect time to raise awareness of water safety because two-thirds of fatal drownings occur each year between May and August.
Make Safe Happen recommends three precautions to ensure children’s safety in and around water this summer:
- Active Supervision. Eliminate distractions like checking social networks or email and stay within arm’s reach of young swimmers at all times.
- Reduce Risks. Install fences in swim areas, empty kiddie pools and tubs immediately after use, and provide swim lessons to children as young as one.
- Be Prepared. Learn CPR and First Aid, know the signs of drowning and keep a phone close in case you need to call 911.
WATER SAFETY TIPS
With just these few tips you could potentially save someones life. I know that you may think that “it can never happen to me” but it can. I remember being a young kid and watching an teenager almost drown right in front of 30+ people at the lake. He unfortunately tried to swim out too far and got tired. Before anyone realized he needed help, it was too late. He had gone under. It happened so quickly and even with so many people around, he still managed to go under. Fortunately his story ended up with a happy ending. Someone was able to find him, give him CPR and save his life.
Ever since I witnessed this happen I know how dangerous the water can be. Don’t get me wrong, my family and I LOVE the water, but we are also safe around it. This summer and year round make sure that you stay safe around the water and follow the simple water safety steps mentioned above.