After the long winter, it is almost time to start opening pools and heading to the beach again.
Now that the weather is warming up, we are rapidly approaching May, and the insurance industry is reminding Americans that it is National Water Safety Month, which is a very important time for making sure that precautions are taken so that everyone will be able to enjoy various aquatic activities safely.
Even before that month has the chance to begin, there are certain steps to take.
Although you may only be opening your pool in April, well before you start to use it, one of the most important parts of this process is to review your homeowners insurance to make sure that you are maintaining adequate coverage. Once you know that you are properly protected against the worst, it is time to take steps so that you can avoid those problems from happening in the first place.
Once your insurance is in place, you can move on to other areas of safety.
National Water Safety Month in May is a reminder that as fun as water sports and play happen to be a lot of fun, they do come with a certain level of risk. Most of that risk can be avoided with the right steps. Some of them include the following:
• Learn to swim – swimming lessons are available at local community pools for children and adults of all ages.
• Understand safe swimming practices – some of those include making sure that you never swim alone, that children are supervised every second that they’re in the water, and that young children or inexperience swimmers wear life jackets (that are U.S. Coast Guard approved) when near the water, even if you don’t actually plan to go in.
• Avoid alcohol around water – this is particularly important when very near to the water (such as on a dock), actually going into the water or when on a boat. Alcohol affects coordination, balance, and judgment. It also reduces the ability of the body to remain warm, considerably increasing the risk of drowning.
Take a moment in April to speak with your insurance agent, review your homeowners, cottage, and boat policies, and review safety tips before National Water Safety Month begins. This way, you’ll have refreshed your knowledge and coverage and will have replaced any safety supplies that you might need, all in time to enjoy the water to its fullest.
