As pools open, what parents need to know about keeping kids safe around water

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — School is almost out and swimming pools are open, so safety experts are reminding parents about how to keep kids safe while swimming.

Drowning is the leading cause of death in ages 1 to 4, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Definitely, keep an eye on them at all times when they're around water,” Jessie Ross of Albertis said.

Ross, who was playing with her two-year-old daughter in Allentown's Cedar Beach Park, where the municipal pool opened Thursday, shared her tips for parenting around water.

“If she's trying to get something out of the pool, I always make sure she lays down on her stomach so she doesn't fall in," Ross said. "It's much safer."

Leslie Troxell, of Allentown, who spoke as her two-year-old daughter played with Ross’s, added, "You just always have to keep an eye on her and always keep her swimmie on her.

“When we are hanging out around the pool, she's always in her swimmies like her big vest thing. If she falls in, it'll help her float.

"But then, you know, I've taught her how to doggy paddle to the edge and grip the edge to get to the stairs."

'Preventive safeguarding'

Safety around the water is crucial when young children are present because drowning can happen in seconds and often is silent.

"Little kids will topple forward and their body weight, their head is so heavy, they can't get themselves back up and there's no noise at all,” said Carlee Davidson, a lifeguard instructor and manager for Cedar Beach Pool in Allentown.

Davidson is part of the training program for the new and returning lifeguards for the city’s pools. Those guards must be certified or recertified before taking to the stand.

"One of the things that we really stress is preventative lifeguarding,” she said.

“So let's not wait for the little child to get closer to the deep end and then have to save them. Let's say, ‘Hey, buddy, let's go more toward the shallow end.’

"So we really stress preventative lifeguarding here."

Davidson said that during training, lifeguards go over pool zone coverage and they learn an emergency action.

“That's starting with calling 911," she said. "That's going over who's bringing a backboard if something happens, where's our AED, where's our BVM (bag-valve-mask), here's a Band Aid, things like that.

"And we run through all of that with them. We let them know where all of the equipment is for their specific facility.”

'Water is fun, but also dangerous'

The team also learns how to spot a distressed, active and passive victim.

Davidson said keeping kids safe around water is a two-way street and parents should be involved as well.

“Explaining that water is fun, but it's also very dangerous and this is something to take seriously,” she said.

She recommends parents stay within arm's reach of their child while in the pool and wear floatation devices that have the U.S. Coast Guard certification.

Davidson suggested that people swim at public facilities because it can be a lot safer to have lifeguards watching over when you're swimming.

"When you are at city rivers and creeks, you're not supposed to be swimming there,” she warned. “It actually puts you at a lot of risk because it is running water and that's a lot more dangerous.

"It's murkier, you can't see things underneath you, so we do suggest that you do come to city facilities where you have trained lifeguards who can help you with anything from a boo-boo to a severe wound, severe injury or a drowning."

Allentown has three pools open for the 2024 season.