Red Cross Offers Water Safety Tips
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With Memorial Day and official beach season just around the corner, the American Red Cross has released a dozen water safety tips in hopes of saving lives and preventing accidents this summer.
Drowning is the second-leading cause of death for people under age 24 and the fourth-leading cause of death from unintentional injuries for all ages, according to the National Safety Council’s 1995 accident facts report.
Red Cross safety tips are:
* Always swim with a buddy and never swim alone.
* Don’t try to keep up with a stronger or more skilled swimmer, and keep an eye on weaker swimmers.
* Swimming and alcohol don’t mix.
* Obey “No Diving” signs.
* Be aware of being too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun or too much strenuous activity.
* Swim in supervised areas only.
* Do not chew gum or eat while swimming.
* Do not swim immediately after eating.
* Always wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket when boating and fishing.
* Know local weather conditions, prepare for electrical storms and stop swimming or boating as soon as you see or hear a storm.
* Know how to prevent, recognize and respond to emergencies.
* Learn what to do if someone is drowning.
To learn more about water safety or to enroll in a water safety course, call the American Red Cross of Ventura County at 339-2234.
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