Be alert and supervise closely
- Always supervise children in and around water, even if they know how to swim.
- Stay within arm’s length when supervising children who aren’t strong swimmers.
- Designate an adult “water watcher” to supervise children. Being a water watcher means avoiding any distractions, even for a moment. If in a large group of adults, create a schedule of water watchers.
- Even if a lifeguard is present, make sure to closely supervise children. A lifeguard is there to enforce rules, scan the area, and provide rescue intervention, and should not replace adult supervision.
- Avoid distractions while supervising children (i.e., reading, texting, talking on the phone, drinking alcohol).
- Teach children that it is dangerous to play rough or climb on each other in the water.
- Keep a cellphone nearby and know where you are in case you need to call for help.
- Know the following signs of drowning, which is faster and quieter than you may think:
- A person is floating on or treading water
- A person is trying to swim to safety but is unable to move forward
- A person that is struggling to call for help
- A person trying to keep their head above water to breathe
Wear a life jacket
- For children, teens, or adults who cannot swim or are weak swimmers, make sure they wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
- Never use air-filled or foam toys, such as "water wings," "noodles," or inner tubes, in place of life jackets. These toys are not designed to keep swimmers safe or prevent drowning.
- Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when on a boat.
Swim in safe locations
- Only swim in areas specifically designated for swimming
- Learn how to identify hazards, like rip tides, when swimming in oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds.
- Avoid swimming in an area with strong moving currents, underwater debris, and water temperatures that could be dangerous.
- Swim in locations with lifeguards when possible. A lifeguard is there to enforce rules, scan the area, and provide rescue intervention, and should not replace adult supervision.
- Do not dive or jump into water that is not at least 12 feet deep. Enter the water feet-first and never dive head-first into a river, lake, or pond. You can severely injure your head and neck and potentially drown.
- Do not swim during a thunderstorm or when there is lightning. During lightning storms, seek shelter and stay away from metal objects, open areas, and large trees.
What you need to know about ocean rip currents
Before you take a trip to the beach, understand how rip currents occur. A rip current is a narrow, fast-moving channel of water that starts near the beach and extends offshore through the line of breaking waves. Rip currents can occur anywhere there are breaking waves and hard structures such as jetties. The following video demonstrates how to identify and how swim out of the rip current. Find more information about rip currents here.
Additional Resources
Staying safe in oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds
Sources:
Article source: Mass.gov https://www.mass.gov/service-details/water-safety-for-everyone
Video source: Noah.gov Ocean Today https://oceantoday.noaa.gov/ripcurrentfeature
