Swimming pool safety tips

THE festive season is a joyous season for all and is filled with festivities, parties, family gatherings and lots of other exiting activities.

Pupils and students are all at home as learning institutions are closed for the year.

Enjoying a day out at the pool and at open water sources is standard during the warmer days. If you want to enjoy swimming to the fullest, it’s important to know the basic safety tips.

Negligence by pools, lakes, dams, and different beachfronts along the coast can lead to serious accidents and in some extreme cases, death. Several lives have been lost already and near drowning incidents reported as a result of water-related accidents in different areas across the City of Ekurhuleni and abroad. Most of the people affected are young male children said Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) spokesman William Ntladi.

“If you have a swimming pool in your premises, you need to be extra cautious and vigilant to ensure everyone`s safety,” said Ntladi.

“These basic swimming pool safety tips will help to keep your family and community in your neighbourhood safe from potential injury or death.”

Ntladi gave the following pool safety tips:

n. A gate and fencing around the swimming pool is a necessity. Most people shy away from having a gated and fenced off swimming pool because it is not aesthetically pleasing. These will keep small children away from the pool, especially when they are running around in the garden.

n. A pool cover in conjunction with the gate and fencing around the pool will add to the safety. A pool cover will assist with preventing someone from falling into the swimming pool. It should prevent them from going under the water.

n. Never allow your child or anyone else to swim alone in the pool. Having two people in the pool at the same time will provide added safety measures. They will be able to keep an eye on one another and, if anything should happen, help could be called promptly.

n. Life savers or an adult who knows how to swim should be around the pool at all times in case of unexpected eventualities.

n. Safety inflatable rubber or plastic devices should be readily available and easily thrown out to aid the victim who is in trouble.

n. Equip your children with the skill of swimming and if possible, provide them with arm bands, noodles and kicker boards if children are not fully skilled in swimming.

Ntladi pointed out that it was still the parent`s responsibility to look after the safety of children and encouraged parents to have a basic first aid course training behind their name in order to be able to provide added security.

“If a major emergency happens, you will be able to conduct basic CPR before the arrival of the paramedics,” he said.

“This could mean the difference between life and death in some circumstances.”

Emergency numbers: 10177 National Toll Free Number, 112: Cell Phone and (011) 458- 0911: Life Threatening Ekurhuleni Emergency Line.