The American Red Cross, Ventura County chapter, offers tips on enjoying the summer in the water and staying safe as well.

•Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.

•Never swim alone. Even at a public pool or a lifeguarded beach, use the buddy system.

•Ensure that everyone in the family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate swim courses.

•Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child. Teach children to always ask permission to go near water.

•Establish and enforce rules for the family. Set limits based on each person’s ability. Don’t let anyone play around drains and suction fittings. Don’t allow swimmers to have breath-holding contests.

•Be cautious around natural bodies of water.

•Wear a life jacket when boating.

•Avoid alcohol use. Alcohol impairs judgment, balance and coordination; affects swimming and diving skills; and reduces the body’s ability to stay warm.

•Install and use barriers around the home pool or hot tub. Safety covers and pool alarms should be added as additional protection.

•Ensure that pool barriers enclose the entire area and are at least 4 feet high with gates that are selfclosing, self-latching and open away from the pool. The latch should be out of a child’s reach.

•For above-ground or inflatable pools, remove access ladders and secure the safety cover whenever the pool is not in use.

•Remove any structures that provide access to the pool, such as furniture, trees, walls and playground equipment.

•Keep toys that are not in use away from the pool and out of sight.

•Supervise children around the water, even if lifeguards are present. Don’t just drop them off at the pool or leave them at the beach—designate an adult to supervise.

•Always stay within arm’s reach of young children and avoid distractions when supervising children around water.

•If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.

•Know how and when to call 911 or the local emergency number.

•For home pools or hot tubs, have appropriate equipment handy, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cellphone, life jackets and a first-aid kit.

Enroll in home pool safety, water safety, first aid and CPR/AED courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.

For more information, call the Red Cross at (805) 987-1514 or go to www.arcventura.org.