Summer is the best time to swim in the pool, at the beach, or the lake. While these activities can be a great way to have fun in the heat, it is also important to practice critical safety measures when being by the water, especially with little ones. The 25th of July was World Drowning Prevention Day. Currently, drowning is a leading cause of accidental death, particularly in children under 10. This day was put in place to inform everyone about the horrible impact of drowning on loved ones and communities and to offer life-saving solutions to prevent it from happening. In this blog, we would like to offer some safety tips that could prevent you or a family member from having a drowning accident.
- Be sure to install barriers around pools or other bodies of water to control access to water.
- Have safe places away from water for young children, unless you are actively swimming with them and ensuring their safety.
- Teach swimming, rescue skills, and safety when being around water.
- Never leave a child unattended while near water, even just for a second. Contrary to dramatic media portrayals, drowning generally only takes 20-30 seconds, and is often quiet and easy to miss, particularly if you are not close by and watching attentively.
- Make sure watching bystanders are trained in safe rescue and resuscitation.
- Follow all boating, shipping, and ferry safety procedures and rules, and make sure all children are equipped with correctly sized, appropriate flotation devices while boating.
Here at Family Estate Planning Law Group, we wish you and your loved ones a safe and fun-filled summer! If you haven’t reviewed your estate plan in a while (or if you don’t have an estate plan to review), feel free to give us a call to schedule a complimentary consultation. Our mission is to take care of families, and we’d be happy to discuss with you the best way to plan for taking care of yours!