In and around the water, safety is key

Summer is all about cool swims on sun-drenched days. But without a measure of common sense, swimming — in a backyard pool, at the local public pool or in the ocean — can turn dangerous, even deadly. By following a few simple guidelines, you can minimize the risk and maximize the aquatic fun.

At the pool
Backyard pools should be enclosed by fences to keep children from wandering in on their own, and gates should have childproof latches.

Never swim alone — the first rule of water safety. Even expert swimming skills are no help to someone who falls, hits his head and loses consciousness in the water when no one’s watching.

Pools should be equipped with reaching devices — poles or shepherd’s crooks — to assist struggling swimmers. A ring buoy with a coiled line, designed to be thrown, should be among the rescue equipment at larger public pools. There should also be an automated external defibrillator, or AED, nearby.

Avoid using inflatable flotation devices, which can be punctured and quickly deflate. The safest device is a Coast Guard-approved, solid-foam flotation vest. Better yet, don’t let your kids become dependent on flotation devices of any kind. Teach them to swim, or sign them up for lessons at the Y. With proper instruction, most children can learn to swim comfortably in deep water by age 7 or 8. Younger children should never be beyond an adult’s reach, and flotation devices must not replace parental vigilance.

Sign up for a basic course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, which includes AED training. In three hours or less you’ll learn the basics of dealing with breathing- and heart-related emergencies, the most common causes of drowning.

At the beach
Swim near a lifeguard. At most beach parks this is a matter of law, not just safety or convenience. Swimming areas are usually demarcated by green and red flags, with yellow flags for bodyboarders. If you don’t understand what the flags mean, ask the lifeguards. They are there not only to help you if you get into trouble, but to help you avoid getting into trouble in the first place.

Ask the guards about rip currents, and learn to recognize them yourself. An area of swirling brown water not far offshore — where sand on the bottom is being churned up — is often a telltale sign of a “rip” or “suck.”

If you get caught in a rip current and are unable to swim in to the beach no matter how hard you try, move parallel to the shore instead and try to relax. Take comfort in the knowledge that swimmers in your predicament are exactly what the lifeguards are looking for, and before long you’ll have a strong-swimming companion offering you a lift back to dry land.