HEALTH BENEFITS OF SWIMMING:
Swimming is a great workout because you need to move your whole body against the
resistance of the water.
Swimming is a good all-round activity because it:
keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off your body
builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness
helps maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs
tones muscles and builds strength
provides an all-over body workout, as nearly all of your muscles are used during
swimming.
Other benefits of swimming
Swimming has many other benefits including:
being a relaxing and peaceful form of exercise
alleviating stress
improving coordination, balance and posture
improving flexibility
providing good low-impact therapy for some injuries and conditions
providing a pleasant way to cool down on a hot day
being available in many places – you can swim in swimming pools, beaches, lakes,
dams and rivers. Make sure that the environment you choose to swim in is safe.
SWIMMING SAFETY:
Regularly checking and inspecting your pool fence, gate and surrounds.
Ensuring all fence bolts, screws and fasteners are tight and in good order. Any
loose bolts, screws and fasteners should be tightened or replaced.
Regularly replacing springs and regularly spraying self closing gate hinges, locks
and latches with lubricating oil or silicone.
Never propping the gate open.
Regularly maintain ‘non climbable zone’ including
The pruning of surrounding trees & shrubs
Ensuring all other objects such as a barbecue, pot plants, ladders and chairs
stay outside this zone
Correctly storage of pools aids and toys securely and out of view
Checking and maintaining pumps, grates and suction fittings
Ensuring all chemicals are stored securely and out of view and reach of children
Ensuring adequate adult supervision at all times
Make sure your within arms reach of any child under 5
Never have older children supervise younger children
Ensuring all pool users know how to swim
Swimming Rules
Always swim with a buddy.
Swim only in areas that have a lifeguard.
Stay out of the water when you are very tired, very cold, or overheated.
Follow all swimming rules posted at the swimming area.
Obey the lifeguard’s instruction.
If you can’t see the bottom of the pool in the deep end or the water is cloudy,
don’t swim there.
Avoid swimming at night in unlighted areas.
Don’t chew gum or eat while swimming, you could choke.
Do not push, shove, or run near the water, horseplay can be dangerous.
Get out of the water if you see lightning or hear thunder.
Swim a safe distance away from diving boards and slides. Never swim under
them.
Never swim near a dam or boat ramp.
Avoid swimming in river currents.
Rules for Pool Slides
Slides should be at the deep end of the pools so that the entry is into water
least eight feet and away from diving areas.
Go down feet first in a sitting position. (Going down headfirst is dangerous-you
could injure your head, neck, or back.)
Rules for the Beach
Know where the nearest lifeguard stand is.
Be sure you know the surf conditions before you enter the water.
Check for warning flags.
Observe danger signs.
Swim well away from piers, pilings, and diving platforms.
Be on the lookout for dangerous marine life
If you swim out from shore, remember you have to swim back.
If you are caught in a current, don’t try to fight it or swim against it. You can
make it back to shore by swimming gradually away from it.
Don’t let any one pressure you into a dangerous stunt.
Rules for Water Park Slides, Flumes and Wave Pools
Be sure all areas have a lifeguard.
Position yourself carefully before you start down.
Don’t get pressured into a stunt.
In a wave pool be sure you know how deep the water will be when the wave pool
is turned on.
COMMON EMERGENCIES IN SWIMMING:
Drowning
Drowning is when someone is unable to breathe because their nose and mouth are
submerged in water, or in another liquid.
Serious bleeding
Shock
Wounds and dressing
Head injuries
Poison
Temperature related illnesses
Strains and sprains
Internal bleeding
Bites and stings
Anaphylactic shock
Seizures and epilepsy
Spinal injury awareness
Heart attack
Stroke
Fainting
Asthma
FIRST AID IN SWIMMING:
What you need to do - Drowning
• As soon as the casualty has been rescued from the water, check if they’re breathing.
• Ask someone to call 999 or 112 for medical help.
• If the person is unresponsive and not breathing, give them five initial rescue breaths
before starting CPR.
• Once you’ve done this, start CPR: 30 chest compressions, then two rescue breaths.
Keep giving CPR until help arrives, the casualty regains responsiveness, or you’re too
exhausted to keep going.
• If they start breathing again at any time, treat them for hypothermia by covering
them with warm clothes and blankets. If they recover completely, replace their wet
clothes with dry ones.
• Keep checking breathing, pulse and level of response until help arrives.
