Swimming safety depends on skill level, adult supervision

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas – 6/17/2015 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Copious rainfall this spring has swelled area lakes and rivers, providing ideal conditions for a variety of water sports as the calendar turns over to summer.

Swimming is one of those popular summertime diversions, but it's also an activity that can turn deadly: More than 3,500 people in the Unites States die each year from unintentional drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Children are especially at risk, Marvin Joyce, 502nd Air Base Wing occupational health and safety specialist, said.

"Each year, 1,000 children under the age of 14 drown, and another 16,000 are rushed to hospitals for near-drownings" he said. "Children under 4 are at greatest risk."
Swimming safety is an important theme of the Air Force's annual Critical Days of Summer campaign, and it all begins with learning how to swim, Joyce said.

American Red Cross-certified swimming lessons for children are underway at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston Aquatic Center and JBSA-Randolph's south pool, while lessons for children and adults are provided at JBSA-Lackland's Skylark Aquatics Center. Other options include YMCA and San Antonio Parks and Recreation facilities.

Children and adults who are not strong swimmers should use life vests, Joyce said, but he cautioned that inflatable armbands, also known as floaties and water wings, are not a substitute for life vests.

Keeping children safe during swimming - whether they're at the pool, lake, river or ocean - requires supervision, Joyce said.

"Parents should never allow their children to swim alone," he said. "They should always be supervised, especially if they're under the age of 10."

Public pools typically have lifeguards, but Joyce said parents or other adults should still provide supervision.

"I wouldn't expect a lifeguard to watch over my children," he said.
Joyce said even inflatable kiddie pools can endanger small children.
"Parents should supervise their children and drain the pools when they're not in use," he said.

Joyce also advised swimming with others in case someone needs help.
"It's being a good wingman," he said. "Watch out for each other."

Additional precautions should be taken when children and adults are swimming in rivers, lakes and oceans.

The weather is one factor, Joyce said.

"Rivers can turn deadly just like that, so always check the weather," he said. "Make sure the conditions are not hazardous if you're planning to swim."

Swift water, undercurrents and rip currents are other dangers for swimmers, Joyce said.

"Never fight the current," he said. "Swim with it or parallel to it. Even a lake can have undercurrents if water is being released."

Alcohol consumption can also prove hazardous to swimmers, impairing judgment, balance and coordination; affecting swimming and diving skills; and reducing the body's ability to stay warm, according to the American Red Cross.

"Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum, if at all," Joyce said.
Spending time at the pool or at the beach poses another danger, Joyce said.
"Make sure you and your children are wearing sunscreen," he said. "That sun is a killer, especially here in Texas."

Knowing how to respond to an emergency is another important component of swimming safety. The American Red Cross offers these guidelines:

· If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.

· Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

· If you own a home pool or hot tub, have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or
throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.

· Enroll in Red Cross home pool safety, water safety, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation/automatic external defibrillator courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.

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