National Water Safety Month: Essential Swimming Safety Tips
May is National Water Safety Month. Organizations like the American Red Cross, the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA), the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), and the World Waterpark Association (WWA), along with Governors in over 45 states, are working together to promote swimming safety. Patterson Legal Group would like to participate in the event by sharing essential information that will help you and your family swim safely and avoiding drowning.
Whether you’re taking a relaxing dip in a local pool, enjoying the beaches at Lake of the Ozarks State Park, or floating in beautiful Lake Wilson, the Kansas personal injury lawyers at Patterson Legal Group want to help make sure that you do so safely. Here are four ways to make sure that happens.
Four Vital Swimming Safety Tips
Swimming can cause major injuries, regardless of your activity level. Our personal injury attorneys have successfully represented clients who were hurt due to drowning, soft tissue damage, swimming pool accidents, and more. While it’s unfortunate that swimming injuries happen, the good news is they’re highly preventable. Follow these National Water Safety Month tips to increase your family’s swimming safety.
1) Never Swim Alone
While public pools and swimming areas have lifeguards to ensure safety, there are many places that do not. If you swim in such an area, then it’s important that you’re with at least one other person. Suffering a muscle pull or laceration while swimming can lead to a more serious injury, such as brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation or hitting your head on a hard surface. Swimming with other able adults ensures that someone can assist you or call emergency services if needed.
2) Wear a Life Jacket
Children and adults who are not strong swimmers should always wear a proper life vest while swimming. While arm floaties and inflatable flotation devices can help, they are no substitute for a Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Inherent flotation devices–ones that are always buoyant–provide the highest degree of protection.
3) Always Check Your Surroundings
Even if you’re swimming in a place that you know well, it’s always important to check your surroundings. Keep a close eye out for heavy and sharp objects that may be floating or hidden under the water in order to prevent cuts and broken bones. If you’re swimming in a lake or river, move in slowly. Lake and river beds are constantly shifting, so you never know where a sudden drop in depth will be.
4) Supervise Children Closely
Most kids are excited to go for a swim. While it’s fun to watch them play, it’s crucial that you keep a close eye on them. Many children will get caught up in their fun and forget basic safety rules. Others want to enjoy the water, but may be poor swimmers and will tire fast. One of the most important things you can do during National Water Safety Month is to emphasize adult supervision to make sure that children in your care swim safely any time of the year. In addition to supervision, properly fitted life jackets remain a vital life-saving tool.
Enjoy National Water Safety Month
The Kansas and Missouri injury lawyers at Patterson Legal Group hope that you and your family have fantastic swimming adventures this summer. Please follow the National Water Safety Month tips above to avoid any swimming accidents. Should you or someone in your family suffer a swimming injury that was caused by another party then contact our experienced trial lawyers for immediate assistance.
You can reach Patterson Legal Group by phone at (888) 687-2400 and online through our encrypted contact form or connecting with our LiveChat representatives. Our team of experienced and accomplished personal injury lawyers has recovered more than $250-million in settlements for thousands of injury victims. Best of all, we work under a “no win, no fee” promise, so you will not pay a dime unless money has been recovered on your behalf. Reach out to us today to begin your free, no obligation consultation.
