Swimming Safety Tips From Local Health Officials
6/5/2006
Eyewitness News Memphis
Now that most municipal and public swimming pools are open, it's officially swimming season in the Mid-South. Here are some safety tips for your family from the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department.
To prevent drowning: -Always have an adult supervise children when they are swimming or playing in the water.
-Never swim alone in locations without a lifeguard.
-Never drink alcohol when swimming, boating, water skiing or supervising children.
Swimming in contaminated water can spread some serious illnesses. Recreational water illnesses are spread by swallowing, breathing, or having contact with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, lakes, rivers, or oceans.
One particular bacterium called Cryptosporidium can be life threatening in people with weakened immune systems. Many other waterborne illnesses (eye, skin, ear, and respiratory infections) are caused by germs that live naturally in the environment.
In the pool or hot tub, if disinfectant is not maintained at the appropriate levels, these germs can thrive and cause illness in swimmers.
Healthy swimming behaviors help prevent the spread of waterborne illness:
-Don't swim when you have diarrhea. This is especially important for kids in diapers. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick.
-Don't swallow the pool water.
-Take a shower before swimming and wash hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Germs on your body may end up in the water.
