These FREE summer water safety talks will help you and your baby
When it comes to babies and water, you can never be too careful. So, as part of National Water Safety Awareness Week, Water Babies, are advising parents to be extra vigilant with their children around water this summer – whether it’s a paddling pool in the back garden, at their local beach or swimming pool. Water-related tragedies can occur quickly and silently however they can be prevented.
Water Babies and Irish Water Safety is also hosting a series of free talks around the country during National Water Safety Awareness week (18-24 June 2018) which will include water safety guidelines for babies and young children while Order of Malta Ireland Ambulance Corps will provide first aid tips for parents.
Talks will take place in Hilton Hotel Dublin Airport, Malahide Road (19th June at 8pm), Clayton Hotel, Leopardstown (20th June at 8pm); Radisson Blu Little Island Cork (2nd July at 8pm) and in Clayton Hotel Briarhill, Galway (20 June at at 7pm).
Water Babies has also produced a Prevention Against Drowning guide in the form of a bookmark which is sponsored by Irish Life Health to educate parents to prevent drowning and water-related accidents.
Parents and carers can minimise the chances of a tragic incident befalling their child this summer and all through the year by following these guidelines:
Actively supervise young children around water
- Parents must keep an eye on their children at ALL times – they can be easily distracted chatting to other parents, reading a newspaper or talking on the phone.
- Supervising adults should be in arms reach of children under five so that if a child slips underwater, they can be pulled to safety immediately
- The adult watching MUST be able to swim and not afraid to jump in the water.
- If leaving, even momentarily, take your child with you or designate a known adult to supervise – never leave an older sibling in charge around water.
- Empty Paddling pools when they are not in use, and turn them upside down.
Be safety conscious at the poolside
- Make sure there is a qualified lifeguard in attendance before you or your children enter a public swimming pool.
- Check where the rescue equipment (Ring Buoy) and lifeguards are.
- Do not swim in a swimming pool which has cloudy pool water or where you can’t see the pool bottom
- Save the local emergency numbers on your mobile phone.
Teach your children these water safety rules:
- Always swim with others, never alone
- Do not push or jump onto others or participate in any dangerous behaviour in a swimming pool – ie horseplay, wrestling, running, jumping and dive bombing – it might result in injury.
- Do not dive into water unless someone has already tested the depth and checked for any underwater hazards. Diving into insufficient water depths can cause face, head and spinal injuries and even death
- Know what to do in an emergency and where to get help. Call 112.
The events are free but booking is required. To book a place in Dublin, Cork or Galway, please click on the following links:
Cork – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/
Leopardstown – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/
Galway – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/
Malahide Road – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/
Castleknock – https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/