How safe are you near pools?

As we go swimming, whether at home or public pools, swimming instructor, lifeguard, pool attendant or life saver should be around at all times for safety. However, safety should not be only the duty of a lifeguard. I believe it should be parents, teachers, coaches, instructors, pool attendants and the entire community around the pool. As you sit around the pool, focus your eyes on the swimmers.In Africa, a whole village was responsible for raising a child, so the same should be applied around the swimming pool and water courses so that everyone takes care of each other. This helps to reduce the many cases of drowning or other misfortunes. It is our duty to ensure that our family and friends enjoy the water and feel safe. Life-guarding around the pool can be challenging. If you are not vigilant enough to monitor the people swimming in a pool or lake, a person might drown at any time under different circumstances. It can be as a result of fatigue, failure to breathe or muscle cramp.I always inform my students at Riviera High School that water does not know how long you have swum or what experience you have. We have known of Olympians to die because during water sports.With the increase of water sports in our lifestyle, it is recommended that both students be provided with swimming and water safety lessons in the classroom. Many times it is the lack of information regarding drowning and inadequate supervision that causes problems in swimming pools. Children should be taught life survival skills and safety measures on anything that may bring their lives into danger and this can be done by Police, Fire Brigade and other related organisations. How to minimise the risks?A lifeguard should always identify new comers at the pool and caution them on how to swim safely. Demonstrations should always be done in the shallow end first. The ability to swim 300 yards non-stop, dramatically reduces the possibility of drowning and one should be physically fit.Parents should work together with the coaches, lifesavers, safeguards and pool attendants on the ability/health issues of a child before taking on swimming. Persons with brain problems, serious heart issues and epilepsy should not swim. For asthmatics, swimming is excellent to build up lung capacity, but caution should be exercised.Rough games are not allowed in the swimming pool because they can cause problems. For example, holding someone’s head under the water is insensible, as no one can know how long a person can hold their breath. Lifeguards should be able to identify swimmers under the influence of alcohol or any narcotic substance. Such people should not be allowed to swim.Lifeguards should do pool safety for children. They should be able to do friendly supervision and tell safety stories. Lifeguards should have a whistle at all times to be heard clearly, draw swimmers attention, keep control and communication purposes. Lifesaving devices such as rod, stick or pole, a tube, should be kept at the premises of work.All pool users must be physically fit to enter the water. The swimming instructor, lifeguard, pool attendant, must be qualified and able to control all situations. They should have the knowledge of lifesaving and ready to do practical skills at all times, including cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Cardio relates to the heart, and pulmonary to the lungs. The person giving CPR follows three main steps: check the airway; carry out mouth to mouth breathing; and chest compressions.CPR is administered when the victim shows no signs of life, unconsciousness, unresponsiveness, lack of breath and lack of body movement.Commonsense prevailsThe lifeguard should not drink or smoke drugs while on duty; should maintain hygiene, and safety procedures.The lifeguard should be in good physical condition and is primarily responsible for the safety and wellbeing of all people in the swimming area. Lifeguards should be more vigilant when it comes to health states of swimmers or bathers. They should know all aspects of water safety and be able to promote poolside discipline, including educating pool users on safety and enforcement of swimming pool regulations.The writer is a swimming coach and lifeguard at Riviera High School.