As parents, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in getting your kids ready for a day of swimming that’s easy to neglect one essential step: reviewing important water safety tips with them in advance. And that goes for poor to excellent swimmers – and anyone in between – alike.

Consider the following:

• Always watch your children around water.
• Gather towels, toys, sunscreen, and anything else you might want or need before allowing your child to enter the water. If you must leave for any reason, take your child with you.
• Do not permit young children to swim in streams or canals.
• Consider installing a door alarm to alert you when a child has opened a door that leads to a hot tub or pool.
• Always have a life preserver and a phone near the pool or hot tub in case of an emergency.
• Use Coast Guard approved life jackets instead of floaties for your children, but remember that even with a life jacket, a child can still drown if not properly monitored.
• Increase your chances of saving a life by becoming certified in first aid and CPR.
• Enroll your child in age-appropriate swim lessons. And if you don’t know how to swim, it’s never too late to learn.
• Always swim with a buddy.
• Do not swim if you have been drinking alcohol or are taking medications that can make you drowsy, light-headed, or impair your ability to make sound decisions.
• Wear a life jacket when boating.
• Swim in designated areas and try to stay close to areas monitored by lifeguards.

Are you fortunate enough to have an outdoor pool, even if it’s the kiddy variety? Here at Now Security, we can help enhance the safety of all family members by installing one or more video cameras so you can keep an eye on pool activities even when your indoors or not at home. To learn more, and how video surveillance can become part of your home security system, contact Now Security today.