Tips for a Safe Summer in the Water
Once the weather warms up, many people love to cool off and have fun in the water. This can be a pool, a lake, a waterpark, or the ocean. While it’s fun to splash around in the water, it is important to practice safety while taking a dip. Here are just a few tips to help ensure a safe and fun day in the water:
- Know your and your loved ones’ swimming abilities—when entering a pool, waterpark ocean or any body of water it is important to know your and your children, friends, loved ones’ swimming abilities. Understanding the abilities will help to ensure that you are staying in the appropriate depth of water and keeping yourself and your loved ones safe and in appropriate water to play.
- Know if where you are swimming is guarded by certified lifeguards—it is important when going to enjoy your time swimming that the water is guarded by certified lifeguards. While pools at home are not usually guarded, many public pools, lakes, water parks, and oceans are guarded or should be guarded by certified lifeguards. It should be easily determined whether a swimming location is guarded by certified lifeguards on the website, advertisements, signage or seeing the location in person. If you are unsure whether the location you are going to swim is guarded by certified lifeguards, call and ask.
- Always keep an eye on those in your group that are swimming—whether you are at a residential pool or a swimming location guarded by lifeguards, it is best practice to always keep an eye on those in your group who are swimming. Lifeguards and staff can be understaffed, distracted, miss a person in danger in the water, or other issues that may cause the lifeguard not to notice you or your loved one who may be in a dangerous situation. That is why it is always important to know and be watching those in your group went swimming.
- If you see something, say something—whether it is a lifeguard not paying attention or a person struggling in the water, notify proper people if you see it. Making sure that the lifeguards are accountable and following their duties to watch over the safety of the swimmers can go a long way in making a safe and fun environment for everyone.
The attorneys at SMB have extensive experience in representing individuals and family of individuals who have drowned at pools, lakes, waterparks, oceans and other swimming locations. Our attorneys are skilled at identifying the responsibilities of those in charge of keeping our loved ones safe and holding them accountable. If you or a loved one drowned or have been injured at a pool, lake, waterpark, ocean or other swimming location, please contact us so that we may assist you in getting the compensation you deserve.