Water safety should be top of mind for Memorial Day and beyond

The Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA wants to ensure that water safety doesn’t get lost as summer kicks off Memorial Day weekend and we look to return to a sense of “normalcy.”

As temperatures rise, kids will want to cool off, whether that is in home pools, community pools, ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, or oceans. And that means the risk of drowning is as prevalent as ever. For National Water Safety Month this May, the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA is encouraging parents and caregivers to reinforce the importance of water safety skills with the whole family.

“As ‘America’s Swim Instructor,’ the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA typically teaches hundreds of children invaluable water safety and swimming skills each year. Last year, though due to COVID-19 precautions, we saw that number dip and want to remind parents and caregivers that it’s more important than ever to keep water safety top of mind as families start to return to their usual summer routines,” said Ellen Daudelin, the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA’s Aquatics Director.

As part of National Water Safety Month, the Y is encouraging parents to play an active role in promoting water safety and is providing five tips to ensure a safe and enjoyable swimming experience for all.

• Never swim alone or without a water watcher. When children are swimming, make sure they are actively supervised at all times. Teach your children that they should only swim in locations where a lifeguard is on duty, or where a responsible adult agrees to watch the children in the water without distractions.
• Supervise your children whenever they’re in or near water. Whether it’s bath time or taking a dip in a pool or lake, make sure your children are within arm’s reach at all times.
• Don’t engage in breath holding activities. Children should not hold their breath for a prolonged amount of time while swimming, as this can cause drowning and has several other severe physical side-effects.
• Wear a life jacket: Inexperienced or non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
• Don’t jump in the water to save a friend who is struggling in deep water. If a child finds their friend in deep water unexpectedly, their natural reaction may be to jump in the water to try to save them. Even if a child is a great swimmer, a panicked person will overpower them, pulling the rescuer underwater. The Y’s Safety Around Water program teaches the “reach, throw, don’t go” concept of using a long object to reach for them and pull them to safety. By using this technique children can help their friend without compromising their own safety.

The Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA is currently offering swim lessons, and registration for the Summer Session will begin Monday, June 14. Swim lessons are open to active members of the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA. To learn more about the Y’s offerings and membership, visit fspymca.org.

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The Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA is dedicated to improving the quality of life of the individuals, families and communities it serves through programs and services that build wholeness of spirit, mind and body. The YMCA is a not-for-profit organization founded on Christian principles, serving people of all ages, races, faith, cultures and socio-economic conditions. For information please call the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA at (908) 889-8880 or visit https://fspymca.org. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.