Water Safety in the Pool
Swimming is a fun activity that can be enjoyed by all, no matter what your age, skill level or physical limits. Everyone should be aware of pool safety and look out for each other.
Here are our top tips on staying safe around swimming pools:
- Don’t run around the pool. Wet surfaces can be slippery and a fall into the water can be deadly
- No one is ‘drown-proof,’ even if you are an expert swimmer it can still be dangerous. Always have adult supervision when children are in the water and try not to swim alone, even as an adult. People can drown in as little as 6 centimetres of water, so keep an eye out for your family and friends.
- Be within arms reach if your family is swimming
- Always keep hydrated with plenty of fluids, you can easily get dehydrated in the sun.
- Listen to your body and if you start to cramp or get tired, take a break.
- If you have a pool at home, make sure you have a fence installed. Australian law requires that a pool or spa in excess of 30 cm in depth has a fence. Check your local website for sizing and childproof lock standards.
- Clear the area around the fence of items that could be climbed on to get over the fence
- If you use a small, non-permanent inflatable or plastic pool, empty it out as soon as you’re done instead of leaving it lying around
- Don’t leave floating toys in or at the edge or your pool or your child may fall in trying to reach them
- If you do feel like you’re starting to drown or get stuck – raise your hands in the air and yell as loud as you can for help
- If you’re diving into a pool, remember to check how deep it is so that you’re safe when jumping in. Also, check no one is swimming under you when you jump in.
Watch a video on water safety here for extra handy tips. Most importantly, make sure you keep an eye on your friends and family. Even if your child has taken swimming lessons at Aquastar Swim Schools and is a competent swimmer, they still need to be supervised in water as accidents can happen quickly and to swimmers of all experience levels.
