OSDH Shares Tips to Stay Safe and Healthy While Enjoying the Water this Summer

OKLAHOMA CITY - Drowning is preventable; however, it is the leading cause of injury deaths among children ages 1 - 4 years in Oklahoma

It is essential to be water aware because drowning can occur silently and in as little as two inches of water. This is why, most often, people aren’t aware someone is drowning until it is too late. Below are some tips to follow to prevent drownings.

• Always provide close, constant and undistracted supervision when children are in or near water.
  • Adults should be within an arm's reach of young children and actively watching them without distractions such as phones or reading materials, and while avoiding alcohol and drugs.
• Ensure children and adults learn to swim and understand basic water safety, such as floating, treading water, and safe water entry and exit.
• Wear a life jacket, especially when in or around natural bodies of water.
  • Information on how to wear a life jacket can be found here.
• Install four-sided isolation fencing with self-closing and self-latching gates around pools to help prevent children from getting in a backyard pool unsupervised.
  • Fences should follow the Rule of 4: all 4 sides of pool, at least 4 feet high, with gaps smaller than 4 inches.
• Know how to recognize and respond to a swimmer in distress and maintain certification in CPR to provide immediate assistance in emergencies.
• Teach children basic swimming and water safety skills to reduce the risk of drowning.
  • Children who have had swimming lessons still need close and constant supervision when in or around water.

Water can also be associated with swimming-related illnesses. It is important to follow these recommendations to stay healthy while enjoying water activities.

• Shower before entering a pool, hot tub or splash pad.
• Do not enter the water if you currently have or have recently had diarrhea.
• Take a break every hour to use the bathroom and check diapers if you are swimming with kids.
• Don’t swallow the water or let it go up your nose.
• Avoid sitting or standing on any jets.
• Before visiting lakes, oceans, or other natural bodies of water, check for and follow swimming, fishing, and shellfish advisories.
• If the water looks or smells bad, stay out and keep kids, pets and livestock away.
  • If you think you see an algal bloom at a public lake or any other public recreational area, notify the lake manager immediately.
  • Learn more about blue-green algae here.

For more information on healthy and safe swimming, visit Healthy and Safe Swimming Week Campaign | Healthy Swimming | CDC.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) protects and improves public health through its system of local health services and strategies focused on preventing disease. OSDH provides technical support and guidance to 68 county health departments in Oklahoma, as well as guidance and consultation to the two independent city-county health departments in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Learn more at Oklahoma.gov/health.

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