DINA 'Safer Streets' campaign

The Daniel Island Neighborhood Association has launched a 12-week campaign to educate the community about issues related to safety. Each week, DINA will share a different safety tip on a specific topic. Previous weeks have focused on bike safety, golf carts, street parking, roundabouts, distracted driving, street humps and fireworks. This week, the campaign targets water safety.

WEEK #8 – WATER SAFETY

One thing we all love about living in Charleston is being close to the water, especially during our hot summer months. To ensure your and your children’s safety, the American Red Cross offers some advice on swimming, whether it be in the ocean, a pool, lake, or river.

1. Always swim with a buddy. Do not allow anyone to swim alone.

2. Make sure everyone in your family learns to swim well.

3. Stay within your fitness and swimming capabilities.

4. Never leave a young child unattended near water, and do not trust a child’s life to another child. Always teach children to ask permission to go near water.

5. Maintain constant supervision.

6. Avoid distractions when supervising children around water.

7. Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.

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

9. Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.

10. Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

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

12. If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than 5 minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.

13. In oceans, lakes, and rivers, be sure you are water competent for natural environments before swimming – this is not your home pool!

14. Always enter unknown or shallow water feet first.

15. In oceans, lakes, and rivers, watch out for currents, waves, and underwater obstructions.

Finally, parents, we need your help! We ask you please speak with your children about jumping off the public bridge at Captain’s Island Drive and Rhoden Island Drive. We have been getting calls about this, and while not illegal, what is happening is that once you jump in the water, whatever way the current takes you, you must use the dock of a private residence to get out of the water.

Of more concern than the issues of annoyance and trespassing on private property is the safety of children jumping off the bridge and using docks that are not fully constructed or meant to have people climbing up them.

https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-o...

Marie Delcioppo is president of the Daniel Island Neighborhood Association.