Water safety

Prevent drowning

• Watch children every second they are in or near water — pools, lakes, the ocean, and even bathtubs and buckets. Choose one adult as the “water watcher” and put the phone away. Stay within arm’s reach of young children and weak swimmers.
• Use life jackets. Children and weak swimmers should wear a U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jacket in and around natural water. Everyone should wear one on a boat. Pool floats and water wings are not safety devices.
• Learn to swim, and sign up children for swimming lessons. Lessons help, but children still need close watching.
• Fence home pools on all four sides with a fence at least 4 feet high and a gate that closes and latches by itself.
• Avoid alcohol when swimming, boating, or watching children.
• Swim at beaches with lifeguards and never swim alone.
• Learn CPR.

Helping someone in trouble

Reach or throw, don’t go. Reach toward them with a pole, branch, or towel, or throw something that floats. Call for help. Don’t jump in unless you are trained — a panicking person can pull you under.

Rip currents

Rip currents are strong channels of water flowing away from shore. If you are caught in one:

1. Stay calm. The current won’t pull you under.
2. Don’t swim against it.
3. Swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current, then swim back at an angle.
4. If you can’t escape, float or tread water, face the shore, wave your arms, and yell for help.

Cold water and boating

Cold water can make it hard to breathe or swim, even for strong swimmers. Wear a life jacket, check the weather, and tell someone your plans before going out on the water.