Taking a vacation is a luxury many of us spend all year waiting to experience. Unfortunately, just because you’re away from home doesn’t mean that you are safe from accidental drowning. Here are some quick tips on how to stay safe and avoid drowning danger in hotels.
Dangers of Drowning
As our regular readers know, keeping people safe near the water is the top priority of this blog. We provide relevant safety tips and stats to avoid potential hazards lurking in and around the water.
After all, according to the
World Health Organization, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury and death in children aged 1-14. Little ones are the most affected, as the highest global drowning rates are among children 1-4 years of age, followed by kids 5-9.
According to the CDC, an average of two children under the age of 14 die from unintentional drowning each day. What’s more, these global estimates may even be underestimating the problem. The true numbers may be even more significant.
Avoiding Drowning Danger in Hotels
Throughout this blog, we have provided a number of water safety guides for the home, at sea or even on an icy pond. Today, we are talking about how to avoid drowning danger in hotels.
The truth is, parents and guardians tend to be their most relaxed when on vacation. A normally vigilant adult may let their guard down and trust that the hotel can handle any possible trouble that arises. Sadly, this could not be further from the truth. When it comes to avoiding drowning danger in hotels, parents must still remain alert. Many of the same rules from home still apply… plus a few others!
Only Swim When a Lifeguard is On Duty
Many hotels feature a pool or a beachfront. That’s a wonderful feature, but remember to never step into or near the water unless a
lifeguard is on duty. Having a trained professional who knows
CPR and can summon a team for help is a critical for your safety. It’s a good rule of thumb to never approach the water unless the lifeguard is there and alert. Parents should make absolutely sure that their children understand this rule and obey it at all costs. It can easily save their life and prevent drowning danger in hotels.
Active Supervision, Even on Vacation
More important than anything, parents and guardians must practice active supervision. Just because you are on a break from the office doesn’t mean that you can coast on parenting. Be sure to remain free of distractions such as the phone, a book or even conversation. It only takes a moment for tragedy to strike. Additionally, if you’re swimming with the kids, be sure to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages. Drinking and swimming do not mix and can create a potentially hazardous situation.
Check the Water
If you’re swimming in a community or hotel pool, you should make sure to check the water first. Most hotels take proper care of their pool water, but you can never be quite sure. Make sure your children know to never drink the pool water. It can have harmful chemicals or bacteria. To learn more, read our full article about the
potential dangers of the public pool. Many of these tips will also apply to avoiding drowning dangers in hotels.
Diving Danger
Finally, everyone should be very careful when it comes to diving into water. The water may not be as deep as you expect. A miscalculated dive can lead to lifelong paralysis or ever death. It’s not worth the risk. To learn more, read this full blog on
diving danger.
