Tips for Safe Swimming

This is known as Hypoxic Drowning or Shallow Water Blackout. If your body does not receive enough oxygen to the brain you can become unconscious. If you become unconscious while underwater your body will force you to take a breath and this will fill your lungs with water. This is when drowning occurs.

Before jumping into deep water, hold your breath. Kick with your feet and legs, scoop with your hands and arms to get your self to the surface. Once your head surfaces, take your breath. Holding your breath will help your body to get to the top of the water.

For your safety it is important to be able to turn yourself around and grab the wall if you need it. Knowing your exit route is important in all kinds of water.

Quickly turning yourself in the direction you want to go is only a head turn away. Turn your head left or right and your body will follow your head. Look up and you will be floating on your back. Look down and you will be right back where you started.

Turning from your front to your back is an important self rescue skill. If you are tired and need to rest or if you have a cramp you can't get out you can roll on your back and stay calm.

Rip Currents are current of water that move rapidly away from the shore, they can take a swimmer out to deeper water. The best way to handle a rip current is to float with it, and when free swim back to the shore. Or swim parallel to the shore and once of out the current swim in to the beach.

Being able to get a life jacket on depends on if you can stay calm and if you are conscious. If you are unable to get the life jacket on you can also hug it to save energy.