YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health Summer 2018 | Page 18

ROYAL LIFE SAVING SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA
Royal Life Saving is focused on reducing drowning and promoting healthy, active
and skilled communities. For more fact sheets about water safety issues visit
www.keepwatch.com.au or phone [phone]. Or to find out more about Royal
Life Saving visit www.royallifesaving.com.au
WATER SAFETY
WHILE ON HOLIDAYS
Summer holidays are typically an opportunity for relaxation and happiness; when
families, friends and loved ones can spend time together and have fun in and around the
water. So, to help ensure yours is a safe one, here are a few tips to help you remain
water-safe all summer long.
ater safety is critical. While holidaying, you may
experience aquatic environments you are unfamiliar
with or that have changed since your last visit. To
enjoy these locations safely, it is important to know the safety
aspects that apply to different aquatic environments.
W
Unfamiliar aquatic locations
Conditions can change all the time and a spot that was safe
to swim at in the morning may have developed a strong
current by the afternoon. Before you enter any water body,
spend time observing it looking for any rips or currents. Ask a
local about the waterway. Never dive in, always enter the
water slowly feet first.
Keeping the family safe
Advise your children that they are not to enter the water without
a parent present. Explain that even though they may be
competent swimmers at home, the conditions can change
dramatically in other environments and they need to be aware of
this. Be aware of objects in the water from rocks to watercraft.
Obey any signs to stay in a designated area. Make sure you do
the right thing as children will model their behaviour on you.
Never swim alone and ensure children are actively supervised.
Keep watch and keep them within arm’s reach.
Water parks
In exactly the same way as at a public pool, lifeguards at water
parks are on hand to ensure that all patrons can enjoy a safe
time at the facility. This does not mean they are responsible for
babysitting young children. Parents must continue to actively
supervise children within arm’s reach at these venues.
18
YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
Inland waterways
Many families enjoy holidays at locations near rivers, lakes
and dams. It is important to remember that at these locations
water conditions can change hourly. These locations can also
present dangers with crumbling or slippery banks, shifting
floors, submerged objects, watercraft and cold water.
Typically, locations such as rivers, lakes and dams will not
have lifeguards on duty.
In the event of an accident involving water, CPR or
resuscitation may be required, so it’s always a good idea to
ensure you have a basic understanding of First Aid.
DID YOU KNOW?
YMCA lifeguards are committed to helping you and your
family have a great day out at your local pool. All our pools
are supervised to help keep your children safe. But we need
you to help us achieve this by actively supervising your own
children at all times, and keeping your under fives within
arm’s reach.
YMCA swimming lessons teach kids and adults alike swim
strokes such as freestyle and backstroke, but they can also
teach essential survival and water safety skills that extend far
beyond the walls of the swimming pool. Learning how to
wear a lifejacket and move through water in it, or how to
recover from an accidental fall in, are all practical skills that
every child needs this summer. To find out more about swim
lessons at your local YMCA come in and have a chat with us.