Swim Safety Tips - By Julie Gross

Julie Gross, a leading swim instructor/expert in South Florida, is an amazing woman with a heart for children and their families. Her noble motto and life mission is: "Until the whole world swims." Every day she wakes up with an undying passion to make a difference.

Please take the time to read Julie's post...it could save a life!!!

Safe Swimming
by Julie Gross

Drownings can occur very quickly and with little warning. A person will typically lose consciousness about two minutes after submersion, with irreversible brain damage occurring within four to six minutes.

While this is a scary thought, the good news is that drownings and near-drowning incidents are almost always preventable!

Everyone has the potential to be a confident swimmer. In the case of young children, they simply need some encouragement and a full knowledge of the basic How To's of swimming to get them on their way.

The older one gets, the scarier the thought of learning to swim becomes for many people. Older children and adults may face emotional obstacles to swimming. They may struggle with the negative memories of a loved one's drowning, a personal near drowning incident or something as simple as someone throwing them in a pool unexpectedly when they were young. Whatever the obstacle may be, there is always an opportunity to learn to become a safe swimmer.

Whether you own a pool or enjoy dips in oceans, rivers and lakes, here are some safety tips that can help you save lives:

• Learn to swim properly. Regardless of age or skill level, there are always skills that can be improved. If you don't know how to swim at all, it's never too late to learn.
• Always swim with a buddy.
• Even if you are a good swimmer unforeseen accidents can occur, so it's in your best interest to have an adult or someone who knows how to swim nearby.
• Never rely on a flotation device to keep you or your loved ones safe. If you put a flotation devices on your child, it's critical to still keep a close eye on them. Remember, it only takes two minutes under water to lose consciousness.
• Educate yourself and your children. Find out where swimming lessons are taught and enroll your children and yourself in regular swim classes.
• Practice as much as possible. Once you and your child learn the skills necessary for swimming, it is important to practice what you've learned so you won't forget.
• Have fun and be wise in the water. Being in the water is so enjoyable that it can be easy to forget about water safety. Always keep an eye out for possible or hidden dangers.
• Never leave bicycles, items with wheels or other toys around the pool area. Someone can easily trip and fall into the water unexpectedly.
• If you have young children, put up a pool gate or fence to prevent your children from going into the pool without proper supervision.
  
• Keep your sliding glass door locked if you have children and a pool that isn't fenced off or gated.
• Make sure your backyard fence or gate is locked if you have a pool.

For more information from Julie visit her Website at http://www.lessonswithjulie.com/ or email her at info@lessonswithjulie.com.

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