The community within the city of Broussard is filled with parents, guardians, and caregivers who understand the importance of keeping our children safe, especially when in or around water. As we know, south Louisiana experiences warmer temperatures throughout the year. Water activities can provide a fun way for children and adults to keep cool while enjoying time outside. However, these activities can quickly become dangerous without proper precautions.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4 years old, and it’s the second leading cause of injury-related death for children ages 5 to 14. Therefore, it’s essential to educate ourselves and our children about water safety to prevent accidents and promote safe swimming habits. On this page, we provide water safety tips for children so everyone can enjoy water activities together with peace of mind while here at the Broussard Sports Complex at St. Julien Park.
Tips for Keeping Children Safe In and Around Water
- Never leave children unsupervised in or near any body of water, even for a moment. This is also true for young children who know how to swim.
- Take notice of any pools, lakes, ponds, etc., that are not fenced in anytime you have a child with you. If you know where these areas are, you can be more aware that the child is not approaching the water alone.
- Teach children from a young age to always ask for permission before entering the water.
- Begin swimming lessons as early as possible.
- Provide children with floatation devices, such as water wings, if they are unable to swim or not entirely comfortable in the water. These should always be worn when boating on large bodies of water, even if the child can swim.
- Teach children to respect the water. Explain to them that they should never run or push others near water because someone could get hurt.
- When swimming, encourage children to enter the water feet first rather than diving or jumping in head first. This can help avoid potential injuries if the water is not as deep as believed.
- Teach children to only swim in designated swimming areas. Check that the water is clear so that you can keep an eye on them at all times.
- Teach children to stay away from drains in pools, as the suction can be powerful.
- Anytime you bring a child to a beach, river, or other similar body of water, teach them about currents, tides, waves, and rip currents. Prior knowledge can help avoid dangerous situations and show them what to do if in danger.
- Teach children how to call for help and show them where any first aid or safety equipment is located in case of an emergency.
- Keep a phone and floatation devices close when in or near water with children.
- Become educated in CPR and first aid to be prepared if an emergency occurs.
With these tips, children and adults can all enjoy the water while remaining safe. You can learn more about water safety for children from Mazie’s Mission, an organization started by a family in Acadiana dedicated to ending childhood drownings.
