Supervision In & Around Water

Supervision is the first step in preventing children under 5 years of age from drowning.  Many drowning deaths happen in those few seconds while you answer the phone or a knock on the door.

What is Good Supervision?

There are three key elements of active supervision:
Proximity 
Always be within arms’ reach of your child particularly when they are under 5 years of age.

Attention 
Always keep your attention on your child particularly if they are under 10 years of age – this is not an occasional glance while reading the newspaper.

Continuity 
No matter how old your child is you should check on them on a regular basis. The younger the child the more often you should check on him/her.

Follow this Checklist:                                                                                                                                  

1. Assign an adult “Keep Watch Supervisor” to monitor the pool/spa area overall, especially during social gatherings.
2. Assign a second adult to maintain constant visual contact specifically with children in the pool/spa area. Don’t assume someone else is watching a child.
3. Never leave a child alone near a pool, spa, bathtub, water-filled bucket, pond or any  standing water in which a child’s nose and mouth may be submerged.
4. Don’t rely on swimming lessons, flotation devices or other equipment to make a child “water safe”. 
5. Do NOT rely on older siblings or other children to supervise toddlers. 
6. Do NOT allow children to play in the pool/spa area without adult supervision. 
7. Instruct babysitters about potential hazards to young children in and around swimming pools and the need for constant active supervision.
8. Communicate pool safety measures with the babysitter and make sure they have received infant/child CPR training.