Before you know it, the sun will be shining, the birds will be singing, and another summer will be upon us!

With the pandemic, many children have not had access to all the wonderful swimming and water safety instructors, making the risk of drowning-related injuries and fatalities an increased risk for EVERYONE who has access to water.

About the author: Kim Maurice is the owner of A L'Eau Natation & team member with JMC Distribution & Vorgee. See morat https://safelyswimming.com/

Working in a new province with different regulations and expectations was a severe handicap, I did not know anyone nearby who could assist me. Regardless, I was determined to make it work. Fifteen years later, I was able to retain a staff of 30, raise profits by 20-30% every two years, and with the help and support of my pool staff, we motivated hundreds of staff over that time to join our team.

Here are some of the things I have learned walking into a challenging situation & running a swimming pool and the associated programs in a rural Francophone area 90 minutes away from a major metropolitan centre.

Inspect your pool for broken fences, locks, or equipment, and have them repaired before swimming. After swimming, remove ALL toys from the collection to prevent children from reaching for them.

Check all your PFDs(personal floating devices) for rips, mold, bleaching, broken buckles, and sizing. Kids grow fast, and even if the PFD may “Fit”, they may actually be too heavy for the recommended weight size of the jacket. Floaties, toys and

This is a PFD This is not

If boating, inventory all your safety equipment and mechanics to ensure your boating trip is enjoyable and stress-free.

Review your water safety rules and go over them with your children. Learning to swim is only ONE part of water safety. Teaching kids safety rules around pools, lakes, and camps are a great way to teach safe behaviors.

Communicate with day camps/camps about your child’s swimming ability, and if necessary, ensure that your child ALWAYS wears a PFD around or near the water. It takes seconds for children to disappear under the water.

Assign a WATER WATCHER. Put down your phones and make sure there is someone designated to supervise all swimmers, ensuring non-swimmers are within the arms' reach of a responsible adult.

1.    Make sure you check the weather before heading out, and if boating, let someone know your itinerary.
2. Children are more susceptible to the effects of the weather. Make sure children have sun shirts, hats, sandals, sunscreen, and water/snacks when you head out. On the other hand, children can also get really cold – so have warm towels, blankets, and dry clothes to help them warm up.

Ensure older children ONLY swim in supervised areas and that they NEVER swim alone.

BONUS TIP – Make sure you know CPR, and what to do in an emergency. 

Teach sure your children know how to call for help.

Feel free to add on your best Safe Summer Tips!