Recent months have seen an increase in the number of drowning incidents ER24 has responded to.<\/p>\n
According to the emergency medical service, two people lost their lives in two separate incidents in KwaZulu-Natal dams and a one-year-old drowned in the swimming pool of his family\u2019s home in Kempton Park.<\/p>
Advanced life support paramedic at ER24 Natasha Kriel shared her knowledge about drowning incidents and what safety tips to follow when spending time next to the pool or at the beach.<\/p>\n
\u201cHolidaymakers flock to the beaches for some relaxation time during summer. It is sometimes difficult to ensure that all swimmers are water safety conscious, especially when they swim at beaches or dams where there are no active lifeguards on duty.<\/p>
Designated swimming areas at the beach are there for a reason, don\u2019t swim far from patrollers. They are there for safety, not just for the currents but also closer to where the lifeguards are \u2013 which in turn ensures that our response times are shorter, quicker and we can get to the person before they submerge,\u201d said Kriel.<\/p>\n
Safety tips around pools:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Secure your pool area with appropriate barriers which can\u2019t be pushed down by little children.<\/p>\n \u2022 Never leave children unsupervised near water.<\/p>\n \u2022 Stay within arm\u2019s length from little children as they submerge very quickly \u2013 especially if the water is murky.<\/p>\n \u2022 Make sure that children don\u2019t play rough in the pool and jump on top of one another.<\/p>\n \u2022 It is important that adults who supervise must be able to swim as well.<\/p>\n \u2022 Remember that anyone, including people who can swim, is at risk of drowning.<\/p>\n Avoid taking risks and being overconfident.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the biggest dangers is when the children get in trouble and family members jump in to assist but they can\u2019t swim either and we end up with mass casualties. This happens at beaches and dams quite often,\u201d said Kriel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ALSO READ:<\/p>\n Primrose police issue festive season warning<\/a><\/p>\n Take care when parking your vehicle<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Safety tips around beaches:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Swim where there are lifeguards on duty.<\/p>\n Go during lifeguard patrolling hours. It will usually be from 10am to 6pm.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t swim before or after that.<\/p>\n You can still visit the beach at that time but try to stay out of the water until lifeguards arrive. Don\u2019t swim outside the designated swimming area, i.e. outside the flags.<\/p>\n This area is chosen because there are no currents and it is outside the surf zones. \u2022 Don\u2019t drink alcohol on the beach.<\/p>\n This is illegal and extremely dangerous.<\/p>\n Alcohol dulls your senses, which in turn makes it difficult to swim.<\/p>\n By dulling your senses, alcohol may inhibit your ability to sense when your children are in danger<\/p>\n \u2022 Never swim alone.<\/p>\n \n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (journalist)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Make sure that you are seen by lifeguards in the water.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Swimmers need to watch out for surfers and surfers need to watch out for swimmers.<\/p>\n