Aquatic April

What is “Aquatics”? Aquatics is a very encompassing word or term. It comes from the Latin word aqua, which means water. It can apply to activities, sports, safety, wildlife and more. Terms like Aquatics Department and Aquatics Venues are used as an umbrella over all things water that may be at a school or waterpark. But what do you, as a homeowner, need to know about “Aquatics”?

KEEPING YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER

The primary thing you need to be aware of is Aquatic Safety. Pools and water present a lot of risk, so as a pool owner, you must take the necessary steps to provide a safe aquatic environment. You want to ensure that you, your family, and your guests are protected when they are in your pool. Everyone should learn how to swim. Still, many people do not know how. The American Red Cross offers these tips when it comes to aquatics safety:

“Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards. Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone”.
“Provide close and constant attention to children you are supervising, even when a lifeguard is present, no matter how well the child can swim or how shallow the water. Avoid distractions including cell phones”.
“Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water”.
“Designate a “Water Watcher”.
“Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone”.

“Stay within an arm’s reach of any weak or inexperienced swimmer who is in the water”.
“Do not rely on the use of water wings, swim rings, inflatable toys or other items designed for water recreation to replace adult supervision”.

TEST THE WATERS

You also want to ensure that your aquatic venue, or pool, is safe for swimming. When it comes to safety, residential pools it’s best to err on the side of caution and implement some basic Aquatic Safety Items.

Post pool rules signage and no-diving signs or stickers (these are included with new vinyl liners).
Have safety equipment such as ring buoys, reaching poles, and shepherd’s hook to assist with bathers having trouble swimming in the water or potential drownings.
Provide proper U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets for non-swimmers.
Items that do apply to residential pools include proper barriers with self-closing, self-latching gates and secure anti-entrapment drain covers.

IN SMOOTH WATER

You want a day at your swimming pool to go smoothly. From swimming to pool games, like Marco Polo, there are a myriad of Aquatic Activities that you can do in your pool. But whatever activities you choose, it is important to remember a few additional basic pool rules:

Alcohol consumption at the pool, spa, and aquatic facilities does not mix and should not be permitted. Never allow anyone to swim, dive, slide, or use the body of water while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Never allow jumping, diving, or sliding into shallow water.
Keep all electrical appliances away from the swimming pool.
Do not permit running or horseplay.
Keep the deck clean and clear of hazards.
No glass at the pool.
Consider hiring a lifeguard for pool parties, but at the very least designate a water watcher and have parents supervise their children.

MAKE A SPLASH

While safety always comes first, swimming and your pool should still be fun. So, if you want to focus on the fun, we can help you with safety. We can perform a safety inspection for you and have plenty of safety equipment available. Give us a call and find out what we can do for you!