With the second long weekend of the summer season officially done, there will be more and more people at the pool, and there will likely be quite a few more at the beach, too.
There is much more on the line for those with little kids that are hoping to suck up some sun at the local beach.
The increase of swimmers at both the swimming pool and the beach, mean more attention is going to have to be paid to the issue of childrens' safety everywhere.
There is a growing concern amongst swimming pool staff (lifeguards, advisors, safety instructors) that there are far too many youngsters who don't have/aren't getting proper training when it comes to the issue of childrens' safety at the swimming pool and at the beach.
"There aren't any lifeguards at the beach so it's more of a hazard (there)," suggests Jessica Matsalla, who works as a regional consultant for the Lifesaving Society of Yorkton and area.
With the summer swimming season now in full swing, Matsalla said that having trained lifeguards on hand is the best way to combat accidental death.
She said that no child age 6 and under is allowed in the pool outside of "arms reach" of someone over the age of 18.
"Small children around the water can't make decisions for themselves," she said.
In terms of childrens' safety at the beach, Matsalla says that staying out in the sun too long is actually one of the worst things a parent can let their child do.
"Don't stay out in the sun too long," she cautions.
She adds that "heat exhaustion" is a huge factor that could lead to trouble later, and so can sunburns, she said.
She recommends the use of life jackets and personal floatations device (PFDs) as essentials to help ensure water safety at the beach.
Matsalla cautions that an improper life jacket or PFD is a "big enough" problem, and that parents of young kids should ensure their children's life preserver fits their upper body properly.
Matsalla noted that some kids can easily slip out of, or fall out of their life preserver.
Parents shouldn't put too much faith in the life jacket, as Matsalla suggests. "They aren't babysitters".
In terms of fear of the water, at the swimming pool or at the beach, Matsalla suggests that the sooner a parent can introduce their child to the water, the better it is for the child.
It will also help to eliminate any fear of the water that could be there, she notes.
It is important for the adult to be in the water at the time.
"The earlier a parent can be interacting with their child, in the water.the better," she suggests.
Also suitable is pre-water training that could be done in the comfort of one's own home, in the bath tub, she added. Children as young as four months can take up water safety classes at the Gallagher Centre swimming pool, says Matsalla.
She added that it can be a "hard situation" if the adult has a fear of the water.
