The
purpose of this Water Safety Awareness Guide is to teach a conscious awareness
of the dangers of water as a swimmer or a non-swimmer
BE VIGILANT IN AND
AROUND WATER AT ALL TIMES
©
Drowning
happens silently and quickly even in shallow water
©
Within
30 seconds a small child can drown in 4cm of water without a sound
©
By
keeping a child within arm’s length in and around water can prevent a
fatal drowning accident
©
Children drown in buckets
toilets baths drains ponds paddling / tidal / swimming pools rivers dams lagoons
estuaries canals vleis swamps tidal pools in the ocean
©
Drinking alcohol
impairs one’s swimming ability and vigilance in and around water
©
Ignorance
of Water Safety Awareness knowledge can
cause drowning
©
PANIC can cause drowning
©
Swimming
lessons do not make children ‘drown-proof’’ however they do teach children Water Safety Awareness make them aware
of their limit in and around water, develops a sense of survival
©
Without supervision paddling / tidal / swimming
pools garden ponds water features buckets of water garden hoses constitute a Water Safety Hazard
YOU CAN
PREVENT DROWNING BY ……
©
Always
being on the lookout for possible dangers in and around water
©
Take
heed of safety hints and warning signs
©
Always knowing where
your child is
©
Keeping your child
within arm’s length in and
around water
©
Ensuring Water Safety
LAYERS OF SAFETY IN AND AROUND WATER
© Parents are the first
layer of safety in and around Water by taking responsibility for their
child / children..... not the grandparent nanny au pair sibling domestic or any
other person
© Second layer of safety is ALWAYS KNOWING
WHERE YOUR CHILD / CHILDREN are
© Third layer of safety is having your child/children
WITHIN ARM’S LENGTH
To
prevent drowning accidents parents should read understand and follow all the
guidelines set out by knowledgeable experienced professionals
Regardless
of how many water safety products you use viz. Pool fence self closing self-locking
gates gate / door alarms rigid pool covers underwater motion swimming pool
alarm wrist alarms etc. VIGILANCE IS STILL THE PARENTS PRIME
RESPONSIBILITY to keep children safe in and around water
PLEASE BE EDUCATED
….. HAVE FUN ….. BE SAFE ….. FOLLOW THESE
WATER SAFETY
GUIDELINES IN AND AROUND WATER
WE
BEGIN WITH SAFETY IN THE HOME
©
Always know where your
child is
©
Ignore
the ringing doorbell and telephones or take the child with you to answer one or
the other
©
Never
leave young children alone in the bath
©
Do
not leave young children to supervise bath time
©
Keep
basin and bath plugs out of reach of children
©
Keep
toilet lids down, doors to the toilet and/or bathroom closed and locked, the
key out of their reach
©
All
water containers in and around the home should be empty, covered, out of reach
of children behind locked doors
©
Keep
top loader washing machine lids closed and laundry room doors closed, locked,
the key out of reach of small children
©
Use
a non-slip mat during bath time
IN
AND AROUND THE SWIMMING POOL
©
It is a parent’s
responsibility to ensure that their children learn to swim. It is a parent’s
responsibility to watch children at all times whether they can swim or not.
Children who have learned to swim are aware of safety in and around water
©
The use of floatation aids by infants toddlers and
young children is a diversion of responsibility giving both parent and child a
false sense of confidence / security about swimming ability / safety in and around
Water. When not in use deflate and pack out of sight
©
Never take swimming aids for granted as being a
safety aid. Swimming aids should not
be used without supervision
Safe practice is to
……
©
Always know where
your child is
©
Never ASSUME a child’s swimming ability in
any water environment
©
Always keep a child /
children within arm’s length in
and around water
© Ensure that swimming pool water is always crystal clear to see to the
bottom of the pool
©
Have Emergency
telephone numbers close at hand. Next to the telephone is a good place
©
Never leave a domestic
nanny an au pair who cannot swim or has not been trained in Water Safety
Awareness and Emergency Action to supervise the pool area. (Non-swimmers do not
realise dangers in water)
©
Ensure domestics nannies
and au pairs can swim, attend a proper Water
Safety Awareness Workshop
delivered by a qualified experienced Teacher to ensure PREVENTATIVE measures rather than be expected to deal with SECONDARY measures being that of
Emergency Action
©
Never answer the
telephone inside the house leaving children unattended in and around water
©
Never talk on a
mobile phone or read a book /magazine / newspaper while supervising children in
and around water
©
Install a pool net. Follow
the rules set down by the manufacturer. Keep the water level below the net. Maintain your safety
net regularly. Do not rely on a safety
net. It does not guarantee the prevention of drowning
©
Install a pool fence
to prevent access to a swimming pool. The gate should be self closing self
latching (spring loaded) with a childproof lock. Never leave the pool gate
open. Ensure
there is nothing to stand on to climb over the pool fence
©
Check that the neighbour’s
swimming pool is fenced adequately the gate locked inaccessible to your child
©
Additional
‘layer of safety’ is the
installation of a ‘sub surface pool alarm’ which alerts entry into the pool
area or pool
©
Teach children to ask
if they may swim so that you know that they are in the swimming pool
©
Encourage
non-swimmers to enter and leave the swimming pool at the steps
©
Never turn your back on
the children who are playing in the swimming pool or at the poolside
©
Never expect anyone
to take responsibility for your children in or around water.
©
Never take
responsibility for other people’s children
©
In water no games which
require ‘fake cries for help’
Small children should
wear tight fitting swimsuits. Loose fitting swimwear fills with Water causing
small children to overbalance
©
During the summer
season children must drink WATER
before and after swimming to prevent dehydration
©
Do not allow children
to swim until their lips are blue with cold. This indicates hypothermia
starting to set in
©
Do not eat or drink
while in the water
©
Do not allow the
chewing of gum while swimming
©
Do not allow swimming
for at least one hour after eating a meal. A full tummy breathing in air swallowing
water in small quantities builds up ‘burps’ which will induce vomiting and
subsequent choking
©
Do not allow running
to jump or dive into the pool
©
Diving into a crowded
swimming pool should not be allowed
©
Do not allow physical
contact while playing in the water. No pushing, pulling, lifting, ducking
©
Do not allow
screaming and shouting whilst in the water
©
Do not allow running riding
of tricycles / bicycles plastic skateboards rollerblading around the swimming pool
©
When not using a pool
net the water level in swimming pools should ALWAYS be kept high to prevent
small children from overbalancing when reaching into it. The high water level enables
reaching for the poolside should they fall into the water
©
Teach small children
to lie on their tummies when reaching into a pool to splash water or to
retrieve a floating object. Water reflections attract the attention of small
children who want to touch and splash them
©
Pack all swimming aids
floating toys balls plastic bottles buckets water containers out of sight and
out of reach of children when not in use for swimming
©
Paddling pools should
be emptied when not in use. Store upside down out of sight. The garden hose should
not be attached to the tap
©
Keep leaf nets and
cleaning equipment out of sight when not in use
©
A pool blanket is not
a safety device. Do not allow play on a pool blanket. Should a child fall onto
the blanket they will slip under it undetected
©
Read all ‘Rules of the Pool’ placed at the
entrance to public / community swimming pools or leisure centres
THEN OPEN WATER
SAFETY …..
In open Water we are
dealing with elements beyond our control – tidal change rips / currents wind
The ocean is unpredictable
The ocean is unpredictable
©
Always know where your child is.
Never ASSUME that your partner or a family member is taking care of a child
©
Read all signs placed
at parking lots at the beach tidal pools picnic spots rivers dams vleis at all public
open water areas. Heed danger warnings and signs. Swim only within designated
safe areas
©
Note emergency
telephone numbers. Keep a mobile phone with you
©
At the beach, to be
seen, children should wear brightly coloured swim caps
©
Never ever turn your
back on or leave small children to play around or have access to open water
without supervision
©
Stay
away from steep slippery river banks
©
Children
should be supervised when walking on rocks on dam or tidal pool walls alongside
water
©
When
fishing from the water’s edge children should wear a life jacket
©
When
entering a canoe or boat children should wear a life jacket
©
Should
young people paddle a canoe or kayak for an extensive distance their point of
destination or time away should be known by an adult. They should carry with
them a charged mobile phone sealed in a plastic bag
©
Children
should be discouraged from jumping into the Water to help others. A floatable
object can be thrown to a victim to hold onto
©
Older
children are at risk of drowning when they overestimate their swimming ability
©
Do
not swim at dusk or at night especially in open water areas or unmanned beaches
©
Always be aware of
the incoming and outgoing tides at the beach tidal pools rivers lagoons and
estuaries. Find out the ‘mood of the water’ of the area when doing coastal
hikes or going fishing. Neap tide inter-tidal action is gentler than Spring tide.
©
Discourage swimming
with clothes on especially in the ocean
If necessary tether
yourself to adventurous toddlers
to set physical boundaries of movement
to set physical boundaries of movement
©
Floatation aids
(armbands belts etc) should never be used without the full attention and
supervision of an adult who can swim confidently in any water situation. Inflatable
toys should never be used in windy open water areas
©
A
lillo or floating toy may easily be swept away by the wind currents tidal
change or backwash with your child on it. Never assume children are safe when
playing on them
©
Never snorkel scuba dive
surf or swim alone even if you are a good swimmer
©
Do not dive head
first into shallow murky or turbulent water. Obstacles (rocks tree stumps
submerged objects sandbanks) may be submerged, unseen. Injury to the head may
cause brain damage, paralysis or death by drowning. When diving into water
always extend the arms above the head
Knowing what to do who
to contact keeping your cool can save a life yours or the lives of others when
faced with an emergency in and around Water
DO NOT PANIC is the first and most important rule of survival in and around Water
whether at the beach or inland water (swimming pool dams lakes lagoons estuaries
vleis swamps rivers tidal pools) when you or anyone else is in trouble. Always
have an emergency number close at hand. If you are a beach stroller the number
of the local police service should be listed in your mobile phone. The Police
will alert Rescue Services
Lifesaving in all its
forms dictate than no person
shall put their life in danger to save another if
it will cause a double tragedy
©
The international
signal used by victims or rescuers in all open water situations (rivers dams
lakes estuaries tidal pools the ocean) for assistance required is to raise one
arm high above the head to continuously wave it from side to side
©
If a swimmer is in
trouble in open Water assess wisely your ability to carry out a successful
rescue without causing a double tragedy
©
If a second observer
is present send them for help with the details of the emergency (place distance
offshore number of victims adults or children water / wind conditions attempted
rescue taking place). Be calm and specific when reporting an emergency
©
When swimming out
into open water in an attempt to rescue a victim use swim fins. A boogie board
surf board sail board paddle-ski or kayak could be used to keep rescuer and victim
/s buoyant. Do not allow the victim to hold onto you at any time. You must be
in control of the rescue at all times. NB. Consider the risk involved in the
rescue e.g. wind direction currents tide
distance fitness
©
If
a victim is close to the shore throw a floatable object for them to hold onto
or an item of clothing or a branch which is within reaching distance from the shore
by both victim and rescuer
Sea Water is denser
than fresh Water therefore floatation is easier. The skill of back floating is
a functional Water skill whereby one can rest conserve energy breathe and
observe one’s surroundings to evaluate one’s own rescue
Rip currents are identified as a body of water moving out to sea (i.e. moving in the
opposite direction to the movement of waves rolling onto the beach). White
frothy / foamy water and / or debris can be seen flowing away from the beach
Rip currents generally occur on a beach where there is a stream or river mouth along
rocks piers or pipes where there is a barrier to the flow of the Water. With this knowledge, when in doubt, do not
enter the Water at any of these sites
DO NOT PANIC when caught in a rip. CALMLY
swim with the rip until you can feel the current weaken then slowly swim
parallel with and towards the beach until you can stand. Never try to swim against
a rip current
©
When caught in the
flow of the incoming or outgoing tide of a lagoon, swim without panic
diagonally with the flow until you can feel the flow weaken. Feel for a
foothold on the sandy bottom to walk out of the Water or slowly swim to safety.
This life skill is also used when caught in the flow of a river by swimming diagonally
with the river towards the safety of the riverbank
BE SAFE HAVE FUN
!
