HEALTH BENEFITS OF SWIMMING:

Swimming is a great workout because you need to move your whole body against the
resistance of the water.

Swimming is a good all-round activity because it:

 keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off your body
 builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness
 helps maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs
 tones muscles and builds strength
 provides an all-over body workout, as nearly all of your muscles are used during
swimming.

Other benefits of swimming

Swimming has many other benefits including:

 being a relaxing and peaceful form of exercise
 alleviating stress
 improving coordination, balance and posture
 improving flexibility
 providing good low-impact therapy for some injuries and conditions
 providing a pleasant way to cool down on a hot day
 being available in many places – you can swim in swimming pools, beaches, lakes,
dams and rivers. Make sure that the environment you choose to swim in is safe.

SWIMMING SAFETY:
 Regularly checking and inspecting your pool fence, gate and surrounds.
 Ensuring all fence bolts, screws and fasteners are tight and in good order. Any
loose bolts, screws and fasteners should be tightened or replaced.
 Regularly replacing springs and regularly spraying self closing gate hinges, locks
and latches with lubricating oil or silicone.
 Never propping the gate open.
 Regularly maintain ‘non climbable zone’ including
 The pruning of surrounding trees & shrubs
 Ensuring all other objects such as a barbecue, pot plants, ladders and chairs
stay outside this zone
 Correctly storage of pools aids and toys securely and out of view
 Checking and maintaining pumps, grates and suction fittings
 Ensuring all chemicals are stored securely and out of view and reach of children
  Ensuring adequate adult supervision at all times
 Make sure your within arms reach of any child under 5
 Never have older children supervise younger children
 Ensuring all pool users know how to swim

Swimming Rules

 Always swim with a buddy.

 Swim only in areas that have a lifeguard.
 Stay out of the water when you are very tired, very cold, or overheated.
 Follow all swimming rules posted at the swimming area.
 Obey the lifeguard’s instruction.
 If you can’t see the bottom of the pool in the deep end or the water is cloudy,
don’t swim there.
 Avoid swimming at night in unlighted areas.
 Don’t chew gum or eat while swimming, you could choke.
 Do not push, shove, or run near the water, horseplay can be dangerous.
 Get out of the water if you see lightning or hear thunder.
 Swim a safe distance away from diving boards and slides. Never swim under
them.
 Never swim near a dam or boat ramp.
 Avoid swimming in river currents.

Rules for Pool Slides

 Slides should be at the deep end of the pools so that the entry is into water
least eight feet and away from diving areas.
 Go down feet first in a sitting position. (Going down headfirst is dangerous-you
could injure your head, neck, or back.)

Rules for the Beach

 Know where the nearest lifeguard stand is.

 Be sure you know the surf conditions before you enter the water.
 Check for warning flags.
 Observe danger signs.
 Swim well away from piers, pilings, and diving platforms.
 Be on the lookout for dangerous marine life
 If you swim out from shore, remember you have to swim back.
 If you are caught in a current, don’t try to fight it or swim against it. You can
make it back to shore by swimming gradually away from it.
 Don’t let any one pressure you into a dangerous stunt.

Rules for Water Park Slides, Flumes and Wave Pools

 Be sure all areas have a lifeguard.

 Position yourself carefully before you start down.
  Don’t get pressured into a stunt.
 In a wave pool be sure you know how deep the water will be when the wave pool
is turned on.

COMMON EMERGENCIES IN SWIMMING:

Drowning
Drowning is when someone is unable to breathe because their nose and mouth are
submerged in water, or in another liquid.
 Serious bleeding
 Shock
 Wounds and dressing
 Head injuries
 Poison
 Temperature related illnesses
 Strains and sprains
 Internal bleeding
 Bites and stings
 Anaphylactic shock
 Seizures and epilepsy
 Spinal injury awareness
 Heart attack
 Stroke
 Fainting
 Asthma

FIRST AID IN SWIMMING:

What you need to do - Drowning
• As soon as the casualty has been rescued from the water, check if they’re breathing.
• Ask someone to call 999 or 112 for medical help.
• If the person is unresponsive and not breathing, give them five initial rescue breaths
before starting CPR.
• Once you’ve done this, start CPR: 30 chest compressions, then two rescue breaths.
Keep giving CPR until help arrives, the casualty regains responsiveness, or you’re too
exhausted to keep going.
• If they start breathing again at any time, treat them for hypothermia by covering
them with warm clothes and blankets. If they recover completely, replace their wet
clothes with dry ones.
• Keep checking breathing, pulse and level of response until help arrives.