Tag Archive for: life vests

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A Gift That Lasts Longer Than the Holidays: Water Safety!

The holiday season is a time for giving, so why not give the gift of water safety this year? Water activities can be some of the most enjoyable experiences during the holiday season and all year long but staying safe is essential. There are many ways to ensure everyone can have a fun and safe time in the water. 

To ensure everyone has a happy and safe holiday season and new year put water safety at the top of your gift list. Gifts of experiences and learning have moved up many people’s wish lists and parents and caregivers can look to water safety to help check off those lists. 

Give The Gift of Water Safety This Year

A gift of water safety may be the perfect present for your family and friends this holiday season. Whether it’s a swim lesson, a brand-new life vest, or a CPR certification, investing in the safety of loved ones is one of the best gifts you can give.

Water safety isn’t something that should be taken lightly – drowning is still one of the leading causes of accidental death among children. Taking proactive measures to ensure that everyone knows how to stay safe around water all year long can mean the difference between life and death. 

This year, why not make sure your family and friends have access to everything they need to stay safe during their next boating or beach trip? Here are some ideas to get started:

Swimming Lessons

Swimming lessons can provide a lifetime of enjoyment and adventure. They are a great way to spend time with loved ones and have significant physical and mental health benefits.

Most importantly, they teach water competency, which is essential to prevent drowning incidents. 

Learning to swim doesn’t eliminate the risk of drowning, but it does equip children with a life-saving layer of protection. Research suggests that children ages 1-4 who participate in formal swim lessons can reduce their risk of drowning by 88%.

By giving someone special the gift of swimming lessons this holiday season, you are helping them gain valuable skills that will stay with them for life. Learning to swim is more than just mastering the technique; it’s about gaining confidence in yourself, and the skills needed to enjoy the water safely at all times.

Most swim programs offer gift cards for swim lessons. If you’re unsure which program is best for your little ones, download our Swim Program Decision Chart and Checklist to help you make the most educated decision.

Life Vests

This holiday season, let’s all do something a little different and make sure water safety is at the top of our gift list. A life vest for someone you love can be one of the most meaningful gifts they receive this year. 

Life vests are essential for keeping people safe in the water, regardless of their skill level or experience. From toddlers just getting their feet wet to avid swimmers who take on more daring bodies of water, life vests are an essential layer of protection everyone should take before entering any body of water. The holidays are the perfect time to provide that necessary piece of equipment and bring some peace of mind to those closest to us.

When choosing a life vest or flotation device, be sure to select a USCG-approved one that has been tested and meets accepted industry standards.

Lifeguard Training

Taking a lifeguarding training class is your first step towards keeping swimmers safe! Lifeguards play an important role in drowning prevention. They are trained professionals who understand how to recognize, prevent and respond to swimming emergencies. 

A lifeguard training class will equip you or a loved one with a comprehensive understanding of water safety, rescue techniques, and first aid skills. You’ll also learn how to use essential lifesaving equipment such as lifejackets, buoys, and spinal boards. It’s an exciting way to acquire practical knowledge that could save someone’s life! 

Whether you’re looking for a summer job or want to learn more about water safety, taking a lifeguard certification course is the perfect way to get started. You can purchase a gift certificate for lifeguard training courses and start your journey toward becoming a lifesaver!

CPR Certification

Learning to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a valuable skill that can potentially save lives. 

CPR training involves learning to recognize the signs of cardiac arrest and how to administer chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation techniques properly. But don’t worry – these skills are easy to learn! Many organizations like the American Red Cross and American Heart Association offer CPR/AED classes that provide hands-on instruction on the basics of administering first aid, practice scenarios, and other helpful tips for responding quickly and efficiently in an emergency. 

In addition to providing basic life support skills for adults and children, many CPR courses also include information about water safety and rescue techniques. Anyone living in a home with a pool or frequently around water should learn CPR with rescue breaths, making a CPR Certification a wise gift for the holidays.

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Safe Toys and Gifts Month Ideas

December is the biggest gift-giving month of the year. Parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents are buying massive amounts of toys and gifts to ensure kids have a wonderful holiday season.

Unfortunately, December is also the month in which thousands of children are injured every year as a result of playing with unsafe or non age appropriate toys.  In the United States, emergency rooms treated 251,800 toy-related injuries, according to the report issued last year from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). 44 percent of the injuries were to the head and face area, the area of the body with the most injuries. An estimated 84,400 of all toy-related injuries, or 34 percent, happened to children younger than 5 years of age.

Prevent Blindness America declared December Safe Toys & Gifts Month in order to reduce the number of accidents and injuries suffered by children due to unsafe or inappropriate toys during the holidays. Take the time this month to re-cap on some basic safety advice and brush up on safety tips, buying appropriate toys and what to do should you discover a potential hazard.

It’s important to think about the safety of any gift you’re giving, especially if it’s a gift for a child. We’ve put together a list of toys and gifts that are not only safe in themselves but also promote water safety awareness which is the first step towards drowning prevention.

Books

Josh The Baby Otter

“Josh the Baby Otter” was created to help children comprehend and remember this important message: TO STAY AWAY FROM WATER UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT. It’s goal is to create a water safety behavior for all children that will be passed on from generation to generation.

Stewie The Duck Learns To Swim

Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim is an important and fun child’s first guide to water safety. Written for children ages two through six, the book conveys the message of how to be safe near the water through the story of Stewie, a duck who wants to swim with the “big ducks” but is prevented from going in the water by his older sisters until he learns the water safety rules.

The Polar Bear Who Couldn’t, Wouldn’t Swim

The Polar Bear Who Couldn’t, Wouldn’t Swim follows the journey of a young polar bear named Zeke who is afraid of the water and refuses to swim. He leaves his home in search of other animals who do not swim, and ends up finding that he can enjoy the water if he follows the ABC and Ds of water safety, while learning a valuable lesson about facing his fears with a positive attitude.

Swimming Accessories

USCG approved lifevests

Getting kids to wear life jackets can be a cumbersome task — bulky neon padded vests don’t exactly shout cool.  But the risks of not wearing them are too great to ignore. The Center for Disease Control reports drowning to be the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death amongst children ages 1-14 behind motor vehicle crashes.  This can be a great gift that helps protect kids when in or near water.

Swim Water Shoes

Water shoes have a great many uses, and can do much more than flip-flops or sandals can. They will keep children’s feet protected from slips, sharp rocks, sunburns and much more making them a good choice as a holiday gift.

Layers Of Protection Also Make A Great Gift

Give the gift of safety during the holiday season by adding layers of protection to your list. With water safety being a top priority for many families, adding layers of protection to your loved one’s home can be one of the best gifts they receive. By taking extra precautions during pool season, you can ensure everyone’s safety and peace of mind.

The first layer you can consider is proper education and training. What better than swim lessons to make sure your kids know how to swim and are familiar with basic safety guidelines?

Swim lesson gift cards are a fantastic way to ensure your loved ones become better swimmers and understand the importance of water safety. Not only can you give them a present that will last for years, but you can also empower them with the knowledge needed to keep themselves safe in and around water.

Swim lessons provide instruction on proper technique, skill development, and pool rules that students need to know before they jump into any body of water. Additionally, swim lesson gift cards offer unique opportunities for kids and adults alike to learn survival techniques such as floating and treading water while providing peace of mind that they’re well-equipped with the skills required to stay safe.

It can be difficult to identify the right swim program for your family because it is such an important decision and there are so many things to consider. You can download our Swim Program Decision Chart and Swim Program Checklist to get started and be sure to consider all the necessary facts in order to make the best choice for you and your family.

A second layer could include installing alarms on doors, covers on pools when not in use and self latching locks on pool gates as well as installing a four-sided fence surrounding it. This will create an additional barrier between children and the pool or open water and help keep them safe.

More tips

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offer some great guides for selecting suitable toys for Kids Ages 0 – 5 and Kids Ages 6 – 12.