How to protect your kids during summer heat wave, July 4 celebrations
“There’s a misconception that drowning happens to parents who are negligent, and that’s not the case. It can happen to the best parents.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - As Middle Tennessee gets ready for the Fourth of July, the summer heat wave isn’t going away and families are flocking to pools to cool off. But with all the fun, water safety becomes crucial. Safety experts are warning parents about how dangerous summer can be, especially when trying to cool off during this heat wave.
“There’s a misconception that drowning happens to parents who are negligent, and that’s not the case. It can happen to the best parents,” says Brooke Kyle, a survival swim instructor and water safety advocate.
Kids under the age of four are the most susceptible to drowning.
“It’s the leading cause of death besides childbirth defects. There’s just a lack of education for families about the layers of protection that are needed,” Kyle adds.
Kyle advises that if you have a pool, you should install locks, door alarms and a barrier around the pool like a removable fence.
Ryan and Erica Taylor took these precautions seriously when they moved into their home. They installed a pool fence to prevent their kids from sneaking off and falling into the water.
“You never want to look back and think, ‘I could have done something different or I could have done more,’” Ryan, a father of three, said.
Erica shared their reason for heightened pool safety, “Our youngest daughter has low vision and is not able to swim yet, so we did not want her to be in danger right outside of our back door.”
When it comes to learning to swim, Kyle advises against relying on life vests at the pool.
“We see a lot of drownings happen when children return to the water unexpectedly, and that is because they have worn a life vest and the muscle memory has taught them to be vertical in the water. No one can swim vertically,” she explained.
This is why Kyle stresses the importance of starting survival swim lessons early and watching your kids constantly. Brooke and her husband, Jeremiah Kyle, run Pool Safety Solutions. They install pool fences, teach swim classes, and support families who have lost a child due to drowning.
You can find more water safety resources here: https://poolsafetysolutions.com/resources/.
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