Summer and water go together like peanut butter and jam—how can you have one without the other?
Summers in Canada are earmarked for outdoor fun, such as swimming, boating and other water-related activities. As pleasurable as water can be, it has some serious risks. Here’s how you and your family can reduce them.
Pool safety:
- Teach your child to swim. Always closely supervise children when they’re in and near water.
- Have adequate barriers around backyard pools to keep everyone safe and secure.
Open water safety:
- Teach children to swim parallel to shore if caught in a water current.
- Never allow children to swim in a lake if an adult is not present; be within arms’ reach at all times.
- Never let small children swim in rivers or other fast-moving water.
Boating safety:
- Life jackets are mandatory for all children and adults in Alberta while on a boat.
- Blow-up water rafts, mattresses or other devices are not safe replacements for a life jacket.
- Make sure your life-jackets are the right sizes for you and your children.
Diving safety:
- Diving headfirst into the water is not safe for children or adults without proper training and confirming water depths.
- Enter backyard pools, lakes and other bodies of water with unknown depths gradually and feet-first.
