INFANT SWIMMING RESOURCE

POOL SAFETY
#1 EFFECTIVE Permanent Fence Pool Toys
SUPERVISION • Permanent 4-sided pool fence • Outdoor toys should be stored in
• Supervision is the first, and
with a self-locking gate an area that is isolated from the
most critical line of • Periodically shake-test every part pool deck
defense to prevent of your pool fence • Keep your pool deck clean and
drowning. • Do not allow your child to play on clear
• Segment Supervision by and/or climb the fence • Pool tools are not pool toys
designating a specific • Remove patio furniture that may
period of time to devote be pushed or pulled and used as Alarms
your complete and a ladder • Make sure all doors leading to
undivided attention to your the pool are locked and alarmed
child who is around the Pool Water • Alarms should indicate that
water (15 min.) - Don’t • Keep the water level at the someone is in the pool area or
answer the phone, don’t uppermost point has opened/closed a door or
read and don’t talk to other • Aim jets and in-floor jets to the gate, or is trying to climb the
adults - give your child shallow end of the pool fence
100% of your attention
• Waterfalls in pool areas create a
• Designate one parent as
noise level that may compete Educate Others
the Water Watcher so there
with a cry for help • Friends and family may not
are never questions about
understand the importance of
which adult is responsible
for watching the child
Phone keeping gates closed, doors
• Never answer your phone during locked, closing toilet seats,
Segmented Supervision emptying buckets, etc.
• Carry a cell phone with you at all • Visiting family, holiday parties and
times to call 911 in an emergency celebrations can lead to
• Have an outside pool phone breakdowns in routine
designated for emergencies only supervision and effective barriers
• Have your address printed out to the water
next to your outdoor phone for • If a child is missing, look for him
emergency situations or her in the pool or spa first
Please be cautious of the curiosity and fun doggy doors
can be for young children.

Drain Entrapments are a SERIOUS danger. Please make sure your children:
• Do not play or swim near drains or suction outlets especially in spas and shallow pools
• Never enter a pool or spa that has a loose, broken or missing drain cover
• If you see a broken or loose drain cover, immediately notify a lifeguard or pool/spa manager
• Children’s public wading pools, other pools designed specifically for young children and in-ground
spas that have flat drain grates and single main drain systems pose the greatest risk of entrapment
Information provided by: www.PoolSafely.gov

ISR Family Aquatic Safety List www.infantswim.com

 INFANT SWIMMING RESOURCE
HOT TUB SAFETY
Water Temperature • Bubbles in a hot tub drastically
reduce visibility and make the water
• To prevent dehydration, or heat- too interesting for little ones to want
SPAS, related illness, keeping the water
to investigate further
temperature below 100 degrees
JACUZZIS AND Fahrenheit is safer for small children
HOT TUBS CAN •Always check the temperature first Covers & Locks
with your hand before entering • When the spa or hot tub is not in
BE use, secure it with a hard top cover
PARTICULARLY Limit Play Time with a latch that locks
ENTICING TO •Limit your child’s playtime in the
YOUNG CHILDREN water to less than 10 minutes Hot Tub Controls
•If your child’s face turns red, has • Find a way to prevent children from
nausea or dizziness, take the child manipulating the controls for the hot
THINK OF IT out of the water immediately and tub. Once they find out how to
apply cold water to the forehead activate the jets, they will, whether
FROM YOUR with a saturated towel you are there or not
CHILD’S
PERSPECTIVE... Jets & Bubbles
BUBBLES, JETS •Keep the jets off, the currents that
can be created by the jets can be
AND WARM particularly strong, and are very
WATER = FUN! dangerous for a young child

Remember, drowning is a silent epidemic.

A child will slip into a pool or spa without a sound or a splash.

Install VGB-Compliant Drain Covers

One of the most important factors in keeping children and adults safe
from entrapment incidents in pools and spas is to install anti-entrapment
or safety drain covers that are compliant with the P&SS Act.

Drain entrapments are frequently the result of a swimmer’s body, hair,

limbs or clothing becoming entangled in a faulty or flat drain or grate. The best defense against
entrapments is to prevent them before they happen by installing federally-compliant drain covers.
Inspect your drain cover regularly to make sure it’s not broken and is not missing.

For a full list of manufacturers of the VGB-compliant products visit www.PoolSafely.gov

ISR Family Aquatic Safety List www.infantswim.com

 INFANT SWIMMING RESOURCE
BATH TUB SAFETY
Supervision No Slip Strips
• Never leave your child alone in • Place ‘no slip’ strips to the
the bathtub bottom of the tub and regularly
• Don’t answer the phone, the door used areas in the bathroom as
or get a towel -- if you need to little bodies slip and fall easily on
leave take your child with you wet surfaces
• Watch your child from the • Add a “no slip” slip bath mat
moment they get in the tub until outside of the tub to prevent
the moment they get out and dry accidental falls from water being
CHILDREN SEE BATH off splashed out of the tub
• Don’t leave a baby or toddler in a
TIME AS AN bathtub under the care of another Phone
EXCITING young child
• Take a portable phone with you
ADVENTURE Check the Water First
into the bathroom. Use it for
emergency calls only during bath
• Always, always check the time
temperature first, particularly
when you are at a hotel or visiting Bath Toys
After pools, more and giving your child a bath in a
different tub • Do not allow any small tub toys
children drown or parts of toys that could be
• Even bath tub water can cause
swallowed or choked on
scalding burns
in bathtubs than
in any other Electrical Appliances Baby Seats
product in and • Baby bath seats are not a
• Make sure your tub area is clear
substitute for supervision. A bath
of electronic appliances. Hair
around the home. dryers are responsible for several seat is a bathing aid, not a safety
device
electrocutions a year
Information provided by the Consumer
• Unplug items that are not in use Product Safety Commission - www.cpsc.gov

CPR - If an emergency happens, it is essential parents and families are

prepared. The American Red Cross recommends individuals know CPR before
Baby
they Shower
administer -- MoreinEffective
the procedure than
an emergency BabyLearn
situation. Bathto perform CPR
on children
I know and has
Harvey adults and remember
something on this.to update those skills regularly.
CPR courses are available in local communities through public and nonprofit
groups such as the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association.
Adding as many proven water safety steps as possible is the best way to assure a
safe and fun experience, because you can never know which one might save a child’s life—until it does.

Information provided by: www.PoolSafely.gov

ISR Family Aquatic Safety List www.infantswim.com

 INFANT SWIMMING RESOURCE
BOAT & LAKE SAFETY
Supervision Towing
• Lakes and rivers can be especially • When towing children and/or
dangerous because of their dark adults in pairs, use the rule LIFE JACKETS
and sometimes fast-moving water, when one falls, everyone falls. If your family owns a boat, or
therefore effective supervision of You never know when you enjoy boating with
your child anytime he is around someone might be injured in others, there are several
the dock, river or lake is especially the water special precautions that
critical need to be taken.
Everyone Onboard • Coast Guard regulations
Safety Tools • Account for everyone who require that children always
• Have a rope and throw ring on should be on the boat BEFORE wear a life jacket on a boat.
your boat or dock such that these you start the engine • Test Your Life Jacket --
can be used in a moment’s notice please be aware that many
life jackets will float your
Cell Phone child in a face down
Bow Riding • Always remember to bring a position, so test your life
• Do not allow small children to ride phone on the boat and place it jacket before going out on
in the front of the boat while the in a designated spot. If you the water.
boat is moving, uncontrollable have to go into the water to
wake can propel a child from the rescue someone, will you
boat remember to take it out of your
pocket first?

Keeping it safe around the DOCK

If you have a dock on or near your property take special precautions:
1.Paint or tape a brightly colored ‘do not cross’ line on that dock at least 2-3 feet from the edge of
the dock, and teach your child that they should never cross that line without a parent
2.Dock pylons are often covered in algae or barnacles and it can be impossible to hold on if they fall
in the water. Instead install a PVC piping on the pylons of the dock so there is something for your
child to hold onto if he/she falls into the water
3.Keep your dock well illuminated
4.Remove submerged debris from around the dock
5.Make periodic hive, nest and habitat checks for ants, wasps, bees, snakes, spiders, etc. Getting
stung on the dock can be more dangerous than being stung near home
6.Install an alarm or horn on your dock. Teach the sound of it to your neighbors and learn theirs too.
7.Never ignore a dog barking on a dock
8.Keep old fishing lines, unused ropes and other discarded items free from under the dock. Getting
tangled in these is like trying to swim through a drift net

ISR Family Aquatic Safety List www.infantswim.com

 INFANT SWIMMING RESOURCE
BEACH SAFETY
IT’S IMPORTANT TO
REMAIN WITHIN 10 FEET
Beach Bathing Suit Know Your Location
• When you are at the beach make • Know your location points at the
OF YOUR CHILD AT THE sure your child is dressed in beach, there are no street
BEACH bright colors, so he/she is easier numbers in the sand
• Waves, currents and to spot in a crowd of people
undertows can happen • Designate a specific colored Life Guard Tower
in an instant “beach bathing suit,” take a
picture of you child wearing it • When you first arrive at the
• Keep in mind that if your beach, locate the guard tower
child is standing in 12-18 and bring the picture with you to
and set up near it
inches of water, a two- the beach
• Check with the guard on duty
foot wave will bring the • If your child is ever lost you can
about existing conditions such as
show others exactly what your
water completely over rip currents, run outs, jelly fish,
child looks like and the what he/
his/her head. etc.
she is wearing
• Make sure your child • Introduce your child to the guard
remains in only knee
Cell Phone
depth water
• You cell phone is important at the
Rip Currents
beach • If your child is caught in a rip
• Protect it from the salt and sand current, instruct him/her to not
by putting it in a plastic bag panic and swim parallel to the
• Store the number of the central shore until the current releases
life guard station in your phone him/her

Let your ISR Instructor know if you are going to the beach so that
certain skills that are of greater benefit in rapidly moving,
turbulent water can be stabilized or practiced more during
lessons.

Sun Protection is Important for Everyone - Specifically Little Ones

• Apply a minimum of SPF 15 water-proof sunscreen 30 minutes before going out in the sun. Reapply
every 45 minutes
• A hat and UV-protection sunglasses are essential. Polarized glasses allow for better visibility and less
eye fatigue for supervisors
• The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Remember, you can get sunburned even on cloudy days

ISR Family Aquatic Safety List www.infantswim.com

 INFANT SWIMMING RESOURCE

REFRESHER LESSONS
As your child continues to grow their
survival skills will need to grow with them.
Because children are always growing and learning new skills, your
child’s abilities in the water will change from year to year -- and
sometimes from month to month.

Remember that swimming is a sensori-motor skill. Similar

to riding a bike or roller-skating, your child will not ‘forget’
what he or she learned, but may outgrow the body that If your child has
learned these skills due to height and weight changes. just learned to
roll-back-to-float,
What are Refresher Lessons? it is important they
• A condensed version of your child’s initial lessons learn to swim-
• Last between 1-2 weeks, although the exact number will
vary based on how much your child has grown since the float-swim to
last lesson safety after they
• Focus on teaching your child to perform the same skills in learn to walk.
their ‘new’ body

If at any time you see something problematic, don’t let it go.

Advise your ISR Instructor of the issue because most likely
the problem will not fix itself.

Please speak to your Instructor regarding the lesson progression

plan for maintenance and/or Refresher Lessons.

ISR Family Aquatic Safety List www.infantswim.com