Swimming safe

CEBU, Philippines – The reports of a coming El Niño have probably stirred people’s minds into thinking of possible cooling activities. And, for sure, a visit to the beach or the swimming pool is one of the options. Swimming is a great recreational sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

But before getting carried away by the exciting plans, it is very important to think safety first. It’s important to know how to be safe while enjoying in the water. The website redcross.org offers these important swimming safety tips that everyone should be aware of before heading out to the pool or beach:

• Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.

• Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.

• Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.

• Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.

• Maintain constant supervision.

• Make sure everyone in the family learns how to swim well. Enrol in age-appropriate Red Cross water orientation and learn-to-swim courses.

• If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.

• Avoid distractions when supervising children around water.

• If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.

• Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.

• Know how and when to call local emergency number.

• Protect your skin. Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and wear sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15.

• Drink plenty of water regularly, even if you’re not thirsty. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them.

The long searing days are bad enough to bear. It’s going to be worse if something bad happens while trying to beat the heat.