Water Safety, what you need to know!

The weather is getting nice and this is the time of year that we all want to stay cool and have fun! Summer means beaches and pools!!!

I am sure like me, many of you enjoy your time with the family at the beach cooling off in the lake, at the public pool, or if you are so luck, at home with your own pool. Or maybe at a friend or neighbours house where there is a nice pool to relax and cool off in.

With the little cool down we had this week, now is the perfect time to think about your safety plan for your pool or a pool you may visit.

This week is Water Safety week and our Partners at the Red Cross have sent momstown some reminders that we all should be aware of. Statistics can be scary, but they can be sobering and a great reminder of why safety precautions should be taken for you and your family.



Every year, approximately 400 Canadians die from drowning. Recent polling by Ipsos Reid, on behalf of the Red Cross, shows that despite significant water safety education and awareness programming, there is still a gap in Canadians’ behaviour around the water.

The poll found that:
• 46 per cent of Canadian children know how to swim
• For 51 per cent of Canadians, ‘not allowing children under 10 to access the pool area’ is their only strategy to prevent injuries related to backyard pools
• 11 per cent of Canadian respondents who own a pool indicate they are doing nothing to prevent access to the pool for children under 10




So how can you keep your kids safe this summer when swimming in a backyard pool? If you are the owner of a backyard pool, take note on how to make it safe for you, your family and your guests! Going to a home with a pool? Find out what safety measures the homeowner has, and if they haven't implemented these, then do so for the safety of your kids!


Create an Action Plan including adult supervision, an emergency signal, safety equipment and emergency procedures. Also have readily accessible reaching or throwing assists, a working phone and first aid kit.

Don’t swim alone: Actively supervise your children in and around water at all times. If you have to leave the pool area for any reason, take your children with you. Children should always swim with a buddy, even if they are strong swimmers.

Use barriers: In addition to active supervision, ensure adequate barriers are in place for backyard pools such as four-sided fencing along with a self-closing, self-latching gate. Refer to your municipal bylaws for fencing requirements. Portable or inflatable pools should be emptied after each use or covered and locked.

Keep the deck clear: Make sure there are no toys or debris on the deck to avoid injury.

Dive with care: About 95 per cent of diving injuries occur in water five feet deep or less. Many, perhaps most, in-ground home pools are unsafe for diving even if they are fitted with a diving board. The best safety practice is to avoid diving in home pools.

Avoid Alcohol: If you have teens, talk to them about the dangers of alcohol and swimming. Alcohol is involved in about half of swimming drownings.

Get Trained: Parents and children should learn to swim. It’s never too late. Those with home pools should also enrol in a first aid course, so they know how to respond in case of emergency.




We all want to have a fun summer, lets make it a safe one!!!