Whether at home or on vacation, it is always important to keep safety in mind when children are in or near water.  Drowning can happen at any time of year, but be especially cautious during the summer months when drowning incidents can increase up to 89% as compared to the rest of the year.

The following material is provided by the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, Safer Kids Foundation, The Swim for Life Foundation or the American Red Cross, all highly reputable aquatic safety organizations.
Gates, Locks & Alarms

PROPERTY LINE OR PERIMETER FENCING – In a home with a pool or spa, a perimeter fence basically keeps out the neighboring children and uninvited adults. While perimeter fencing is an important barrier, it does not restrict access to the pool area from the home itself. Unfortunately, the house structure is often used as the 4th side of the fence around the pool and does not protect those children who live in the house or guests invited to the home.

ISOLATION FENCING – Isolation fencing completely separates the pool or spa area from the house or other structures. It restricts unauthorized access from neighbors’ yards, other nearby buildings, and from inside the house. Isolation fencing is the preferred configuration for pool and spa protection.

TYPES OF PERMANENT FENCING – Permanent fencing choices are numerous, ranging from wood, aluminum, vinyl, Plexiglas, chain-link, or wrought iron. (Refer to CPSC Guidelines, available online at www.CPSC.gov, for fencing measurement recommendations and specifications for each fencing type.)

TYPES OF REMOVABLE FENCING – Removable mesh fencing can be an affordable choice for many pool owners, especially those who do not have children living in the house and who want to restrict access only when children are expected to be visiting. When designed properly, installed correctly, and maintained according to the manufacturers’ instructions, removable mesh fencing can provide the same protection as an isolation fence made from other materials, but only when it is in place. The NDPA recommends that although the fence is removable, the fence should be kept installed, especially during parties and other gatherings. Pool owners should be aware that gates on removable mesh fencing should still be self-closing and self-latching.

FENCING CONSTRUCTION – All fences must be non-climbable, meet all applicable local safety codes, and should be at least 60” tall*. Vertical bars on a fence should be set close to one another so that a small child cannot squeeze through (no more than 4 inches of space). Horizontal bars on fencing must be far enough apart that they cannot act as a “ladder” to climb over. The horizontal bar closest to the ground should also not allow enough room for a child to crawl under the fence.  (*CPSC Guidelines recommend a minimum of 48 inches.)

GATES – All gates to residential and public pool or spa areas should be self-closing and self-latching and accommodate a locking device. Gates should open away from the pool and should never be propped open. Gates must be double-checked to confirm that the latching mechanism is securely fastened. Contact a professional or the manufacturer for adjustment or repair.

LATCHES – The latch release should be out of the reach of children, at least 54” from the ground. If a locking latch is used it should be kept locked when pool is not in use. Store the key out of children’s reach and make sure all adults know where the key is kept.

ACCESS TO FENCE CLIMBING – All items such as chairs, tables, storage bins, playground equipment, etc… that are kept outside the pool area should be kept at least 4’ away from the fence and secured in place. Even an ice chest could be used as an aid in climbing over the fence. Make sure that children and animals are not able to dig soil loose from under the pool fence.  Keep trees trimmed so that children cannot use them to climb over a pool fence.  Do not plant trees close to the pool fence area.

FENCE MAINTENANCE – Check the entire perimeter of the pool fence and gate on at least a monthly basis for compromises or damage, such as loose or broken fence slats, that could lead to a breach and adjust the hinges or spring if the gate is not self-closing properly. Shifts in the soil due to ground settling or even small earthquakes can cause latches to misalign and not close.

Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/FloatiesSwimSchool

Website http://www.floatiesswimschool.com/ 

Twitter http://twitter.com/floaties 

Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/FloatiesSwimSchool

Floaties Swim School Poway and Eastlake Chula Vista would like to share information in our 4 Part Water Safety Series to help keep kids safe this summer during water activities.

Whether at home or on vacation, it is always important to keep safety in mind when children are in or near water.  Drowning can happen at any time of year, but be especially cautious during the summer months when drowning incidents can increase up to 89% as compared to the rest of the year.
The following material is provided by the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, Safer Kids Foundation, The Swim for Life Foundation or the American Red Cross, all highly reputable aquatic safety organizations.

Swim with a buddy
Always swim with a partner, every time.  Whether you’re swimming in a backyard pool or in a lake. Even experienced swimmers can become tired or get muscle cramps, which might make it difficult to get out of the water. When people swim together, they can help each other or go for help in case of an emergency.

Take Swim Lessons
The importance of swimming lessons for water safety can’t be overstated. Everyone and especially children should be able to swim.  Sadly, this is not the case and every day 9 people die by drowning in the U.S. That’s also why you should never let a child play in the proximity of a pool or a pond unsupervised.
Swim lessons address safety issues in a structured manner, teaching children first to be unafraid of water and get their faces wet, then to float and breathe properly in a way that self-education cannot teach. The repetition used in organized swim lessons triggers the same neurological result again and again and resulting in learning.  The process is especially effective for small children.

The use of movement along with explanations and demonstrations by the teacher reinforces learning the movement. A progressive program of skills such as that used by Floaties Swim School builds simple skills, one upon the other until the child is able to put together breathing and movement into a swim stroke. Simple strokes like the dog paddle and elementary backstroke give way to the more powerful and efficient breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle stroke. By building from simple to complex and using repetition, swim lessons educate while minimizing stress.

Water Watcher
Being a successful “Water Watcher” means supervising all children in the open water or pool, keeping them in sight at all times.  Never leave the water area without an adult to replace the water watcher and properly supervise the children who are swimming.

Rules Around the Pool
Do not allow running near the pool. When entering the pool, enter feet first.  Always respect pool rules.

Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/FloatiesSwimSchool

Website http://www.floatiesswimschool.com/ 

Twitter http://twitter.com/floaties 

Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/FloatiesSwimSchool

May is National Drowning Prevention Month.  At Floaties, we continuously advocate safety in and around water.  Still, we are grateful for the extra attention that May devotes to saving lives.

As I was preparing to write this month’s newsletter, a personal incident occurred that brought drowning closer to home than I’d like.  This happened despite all the layers of protection that we, the owners of Floaties, consistently promote as part of our water-safety practices.

Mike and I were at a pool party to celebrate a friend’s daughter’s fourth birthday. The four year old is water safe and can swim by herself with adult supervision.  So could the older children attending the party. Our middle child, Maverick, who takes lessons every Tuesday with his dad, Mr. Mike, could not wait to get into the water. He looks forward to his weekly swim lesson and enjoys his nightly bath.

Mike spent a solid hour in the pool with him. It was a joy to watch. What I noticed in this hour was the lack of fear our child had for the water, and his eagerness to keep up with his big brother and the older kids.  At one point I was busy attending to our new baby and Mike was talking to another parent in the pool. Maverick was out of the pool playing. It took about five seconds for both of us to look away and the next thing we knew, Maverick had jumped back into the pool.  He was trying to swim to Mike. I yelled for Mike to grab him. Within two seconds Maverick was in Mike’s arms, laughing. I knew Maverick was fine. But it drove home how fast drowning can happen.

I’m grateful that we are part of an extended swimming community.  Together, let’s continue to raise the level of water safety as high as possible

Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/FloatiesSwimSchool

Website http://www.floatiesswimschool.com/ 

Twitter http://twitter.com/floaties 

Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/FloatiesSwimSchool

Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/FloatiesSwimSchool

Website http://www.floatiesswimschool.com/ 

Twitter http://twitter.com/floaties 

Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/FloatiesSwimSchool

Win a Summer of Swim Lessons at Floaties Swim School Eastlake!

Runner Up: Package of 12 Swim Lessons at Floaties Eastlake

3rd Place: Seven winners will receive the new Floaties Eastlake Swim School T-Shirt!

Sign up here for your chance to win! Plus, if you get at least ONE MORE FRIEND TO SIGN UP BY SHARING, YOU WILL EARN ANOTHER CHANCE/ENTRY TO WIN! Click here to enter

Core classes are for children 3 months and older, and focus on developing confidence in and around the water. Pre-Strokes classes and Strokes Classes help children begin and develop techniques for learning the four major swim strokes. Infant Aquatics is available for infants 3 months and up, with parental participation. Classes range in price from a series of 6 lessons for $126 to a series of 12 lessons for $210 (not including a one-time registration fee of $25).

Hours of operation are: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., and Saturday 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. The facility also combines a playroom and party room for private events. For information or to register, contact: 1-877-277-SWIM (7946) or info@floatiesswimschool.com.

Floaties’ instructors teach from a salt-water pool that remains at a comfortable 92 degrees. Children learn to be water-safe in and around a pool, surrounded by a non-threatening and fun environment. “Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death for young children, and it’s preventable,” said Mike Morrill. “Living in Southern California, either you have a pool, your neighbor has a pool, you have access to the community pool, or you can be at the ocean within minutes. We firmly believe that every child should learn how to swim early in life.”

For more information, contact Karyn Morrill at kmorrill@floatiesswimschool.com or Rachel Hungness at rachel@floatiesswimschool.com. Media inquiries may be directed to Leah Swearingen at (619) 279-7552; leah@swearingencom.com , or @leahswearingen.

Find us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/FloatiesSwimSchool

Website http://www.floatiesswimschool.com/ 

Twitter http://twitter.com/floaties 

Youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/FloatiesSwimSchool

Our philosophy is to create a safe and relaxing environment for all children. That is why we never take a child under the water the first day. However, there are many techniques that we utilize on the first day that will help a child at any age understand how to hold their breath while going under water. By combining our special command while touching his cheek to the water, Baby Max immediately associates the command with getting his face wet. This allows him to be completely prepared to going under water. He will automatically know to hold his breath to allow a relaxing and safe environment to submersion. – Tracy B. Lead Infant Instructor

for some team building and great fun! It was a great success and we can’t wait to go again.

Click here for more employee fun! Solid Rock Gym

Feel free to visit our website, drop us a line on Facebook, or send us a Tweet.

Safe Swimming!