Life saving water smart tips for National Water Safety Awareness Week 2020

This week is National Water Safety Awareness Week.

National Water Safety Awareness Week lands this week between June 17 and June 23 so what better time to start thinking about water safety. Summer is a particularly important time to start thinking about how you can be water smart as families across Ireland head to the pool and beaches. Tragically 30 children aged 14 and under have died as a result of drowning in Ireland over the last ten years. Below are some important water smart tips to help keep you and your family safe all year round. • Keep an eye on your children at all times. Supervising adults should be in arms reach of children under five so that if a child slips underwater, they can be pulled to safety immediately • The adult watching MUST be able to swim and not afraid to jump in the water. • If leaving, even momentarily, take your child with you or designate a known adult to supervise – never leave an older sibling in charge around water. • Empty Paddling pools when they are not in use, and turn them upside down. • When it comes to pools make sure there is a qualified lifeguard in attendance before you or your children enter a public swimming pool. • Check where the rescue equipment (Ring Buoy) and lifeguards are. • Do not swim in a swimming pool which has cloudy pool water or where you can’t see the pool bottom • Save the local emergency numbers on your mobile phone. • It's also important to note that flotation devices are not life preservers and inflatables toys are often unstable and therefore a hazard. It's important to remember that water is always a danger to a young child, even small amounts of water in a bathtub can be fatal so it's crucial to supervise small children in any body of water.