Swimming is one of the most common and favorite activities for kids and adults in the summers. No summer is spent without having pool parties and arranging a family gathering. People often use pool floats for pool parties, including water wings, inflatable tubes, rafts, noodles, etc.
People often confuse these pool floats with a life preserver. Pool floats can be extremely dangerous if they are not used with the right precautions. It can increase the risk of drowning and many other incidents. While using the pool floats, the owner should be aware of all the risks and their precautionary measures.
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Don’t mistake inflatable toys for floatation devices
While arranging the pool party, the owner must know that the inflatable pool floats must not be intended as life-saving or safety devices because many inflatable pool floats can flip easily and cause the person to drown and sometimes be trapped below the surface.
Pool floats are dangerous to use if they are not used with the right precautions and if they are considered as a substitute for:
- Supervision
- Life preserver
- Swimming lessons
While using the pool floats, one must not neglect its dangerous outcomes if used with a careless attitude.
Pool floats give a false sense of security for both parents and kids.
Both adults and children use pool floats. It gives a sense of safety to both parents and children. When parents see their kids being comfortable and happy while using those pool floats, it gets easy for them to be distracted by a side conversation. Sadly, there have been many incidents of children being drowned because the pool floaties flipped over.
Pool floats give kids bad swimming posture
One can go swimming while lying on their back on the water or floating on their stomach. Unless the body does not face towards the surface of the water, one can not swim. Whereas mostly the floatation devices hold the arms to the sides, feet down, head up all in vertical position. This kind of position does not teach kids how to swim. So the parents should teach their kids the right floating position so that they can struggle to stay afloat if any incident happens.
Safety tips while using pool floats
While using pool floats, precautionary measures must be taken. There are some safety tips to avoid any kind of incident while having a pool party.
Inspect the pool floats
Before using your pool floats, it is better to inspect them first. It is not wise to just take them out and use them because it is better to be safe than to be sorry. While inspecting the pool floats, you must make sure that there are not any holes, soon-to-be holes or existing holes in the floats. Also, it is essential to inspect if they are not worn out. Mostly the pool floats are pretty inexpensive, so you can easily change them if they seem not safe to be used. Simply throw them away and replace them with a new one.
Clean pool floats
It is mandatory to clean pool floats because they can develop a slimy and slippery texture because of mold, which can lead to lung and skin infections. It is suggested to clean your pool floats before using them. For this purpose, you have to combine a gallon of water and put 16 ounces of bleach. While washing them, wear gloves and use any eyewear to protect your eyes too from the bleach. Use a scrub brush to scrub the pool floats and keep dipping them in the mixed solution of bleach and water periodically. Now rinse the floats with clean water and make sure all the bleach is removed from them. Do not wash them on grass because bleach kills the grass.
Put pool floats away.
Keep your pool floats away safe and secure when you are not using them. It is as important as keeping them bacteria-free. For instance, if you are not around and your kids see pool floats in the pool, they are more likely to jump in the pool to play. In addition, the pool floats can trip and result in drowning in the pool while you are not around. So it is better to keep the pool floats safe and secure when no one supervises or guards the kids. Otherwise, it can lead to a big safety hazard. Then it will be of no use to cry over spilled milk.
Review Pool Safety before Using pool floats
When you arrange the pool party and before the kids hop into the water with their favorite pool floats, go over the safety rules with them. It does not matter if you have told them a thousand times; you are supposed to remind them again when they are about to play in the water.
Ask questions about the safety measure while swimming and listen carefully to their answers.
Always supervise
It’s all fun and games till someone gets hurt. Swimming sounds all fun, but it can also be hazardous if proper safety measures are not being used. Try to take all the precautions and keep yourself and your children safe from any unhealthy incident. Pool floats give a false sense of security to both parents and children. Parents often think that kids are comfortable and safe with their pool toys, so they get distracted by side conversation, or they may go into the house to bring something or even turn their back, and a dangerous incident can take place.
Pool floats also give a sense of swimming in the kids that it is easier to swim as they are kids, so they may even think of removing the life jacket without realizing its outcome. So the supervision of guardians or parents is of vital importance.
To enjoy your summer swimming with your favorite pool floats, it is essential to follow all the steps mentioned above and make it safe and accident-free summer swimming. Avoid any incident to happen this summer.