This year – during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic – summer feels a little different. Families are traveling less, many local lakes, beaches, and pools only can operate at reduced capacity and with new rules in place, and large neighborhood gatherings are replaced by smaller, more intimate get-togethers. But no matter what summer looks like, pandemic or not, water safety is always of paramount importance.

Take a few minutes to go over some important tips to keep yourself and your loved ones safe around water all season long, or whenever you’re around water for recreational purposes.

• Do not leave children unattended. A child can drown in as little as a couple inches of water, including in the tub.
• To avoid needing going back inside, bring everything you need for water fun with your child in tow.
• Have your child wear a Coastguard-approved life jacket around water.
• Do not allow young children to swim in canals or streams.
• Secure the area around your pool or hot tub with a self-closing gate that measures a minimum of five feet in height.
• Install a door alarm that alerts you when someone opens a door or gate that leads to a pool or hot tub.
• Have a life preserver within reach while supervising your children as they play in the pool or lake.
• Become CPR and first aid certified to increase your chances of saving a life in an emergency.
• Learn to swim if you don’t already know how and enroll your child in age-appropriate swim lessons.
• Always swim with a buddy and do not enter the water if you have been drinking alcohol or are taking medications that can make you light-headed, sleepy, or impair your decision-making and reaction time.
• While at the beach, lake, or a public pool, only swim in designated areas within view of lifeguards.

Should you or any member of your family suffer a water-related injury or electric shock near or in a pool, come to MedCare Express right away for emergency treatment. We’re the only Greater Hartford walk-in center open 7 days a week, 8 AM to 8 PM.