Gloucester Township Police Share Swimming Safety Tips

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — The Gloucester Township Police Department wants everyone to be aware of the dangers of swimming. Swimmers should swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.

According to the 2018 Drowning Report from the Consumer Protection Safety Commission:

• Backyard pools appear to be the most dangerous with 85 percent of all drowning fatalities for children younger than five years old are in residential locations.
• Approximately 351 drowning fatalities occur each year, 76 percent of those are children younger than five years old.
• Approximately 6,400 emergency room visits for nonfatal drowning injuries occur each year, 73 percent of those are for children younger than five years old.

Gloucester Township police urge all swimmers to adhere to the following tips to keep themselves safe this summer season:

• Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.
• 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.
• Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
• Maintain constant supervision.
• Make sure everyone in your family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate Red Cross water orientation and learn-to-swim courses.
• If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.
• Avoid distractions when supervising children around water.
• If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.

• Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.
• Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number (856-228-4500).
• Enroll in Red Cross home pool safety, water safety, first aid and CPR/AED courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.
• Protect your skin. Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and wear sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15.
• Drink plenty of water regularly, even if you’re not thirsty. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them.