May is Water Safety Month – the perfect time to get ready for summer fun in the water. Whether you are spending time at a backyard pool or heading over to the Poway Swim Center, please keep in mind these following tips.
Always designate a Water Watcher
- It’s the water watcher’s job to remain alert, avoid distractions and to not leave the area without handing off Water Watcher duty to another responsible adult. (Learn more here.) The City of Poway offers free Poway Water Watcher lanyards that are available at the Poway Community Swim Center, City Hall and all three fire stations.
Things to know before you go…
- Parents (or any supervising adults) need to be ready to get in the pool with their kids. Lifeguards are not only here to watch your kids, they are here to watch every other person in the pool. You should be ready to get into the pool and be within an arms’ reach of your kids to help keep them safe.
Top safety tips for families with younger children
- Teach your children that while water is fun, you need to be careful. Young kids need to know that they shouldn’t go into the water alone - always have a buddy. Also, life jackets are great, but they need to be U.S. Coast Guard approved. And know how to use that equipment correctly – it needs to be worn as instructed.
For children old enough to come to the Poway Swim Center without an adult…
- Bring a buddy – don’t swim by yourself. That way you have someone with you who can get our attention right away if you need help.
Walk – don’t run!
- Everyone is excited to be at the pool and sometimes it’s hard to slow down. But it’s a pool and there’s water, and we want everyone to be safe. That’s why one of the most repeated messages you hear at our pool is our lifeguards reminding guests to walk, don’t run.
Know your abilities
- We have swim tests for our younger guests to determine their level of water safety, but we hope that everyone else will be aware their own abilities and keep that in mind as they have fun.
Our Poway Swim Center offers swim classes starting at 6 months old and all the way up through adults. Classes during the summer months sell out, so sign up early. Check out the Poway Swim Center’s web page to learn more about pool hours, swim lessons, and much more!