According to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is a much bigger problem than people realize. In fact, it ranks third among leading causes of unintentional, injury-related deaths.

Drowning is a much bigger risk for children. It’s estimated approximately 20 percent of the people that drown are 14 years old or younger. May has been named Drowning Prevention Awareness Month to spread understanding about drowning risks. Here are six water safety tips everyone should keep in mind, especially during the summer:

1. Children should be taught how to swim – Children should be taught to swim at an early age to help reduce the risk of drowning. They may accidentally jump into the deep end of a pool when they meant to play in the shallow end. Children need to know how to float and survive.
2. Have safety equipment nearby – Flotation devices that can be thrown into the pool for someone to grab should be stored near the pool. There should also be a phone nearby with a list of emergency phone numbers.
3. If children are swimming, an adult should supervise – An adult should always supervise any children who are going swimming, whether it’s in a pool, lake or ocean. Even adults shouldn’t go swimming alone.
4. Learn CPR – Adults who plan to supervise swimming children should learn CPR.
5. Residential pools should be enclosed – Anyone that owns a pool should build a fence around it. Pool owners will be held liable for anyone that uses the pool, even without permission. This means if a neighboring child jumps in the unenclosed pool without the owner’s knowledge and drowns, the owner will be held responsible.
6. Teach children safety tips – Children should be taught not to run around the pool because they could trip and fall in.

These are a few water safety tips everyone should follow to help reduce the risk of drowning. For more summer safety tips, visit us at The Benefits Store.