Hannah Craley - Junior '19 - Diving Recruiting Video and Swimming Pools and Safety

My name is Hannah Craley (hancraley@gmail.com). I graduate from United States Performance Academy in 2019. I am currently homeschooedl and train full-time with John Wingfield (Ripfest Diving). I haven't been very good at videoing my dives, but I promise to do more going forward. Thank you for your time. Have a great day :)

Swimming Pools and Safety

By: Arthur Vitale

If we all make safety our first priority we will have a safe and happy swimming season. When you have a pool there are a few things to consider. Safety is number one on the list. Drowning children in pools is an unhappy thought but they do happen, even in residential pools. Teaching you kids is not enough, unexpected things happen and they are called accidents. These kinds of accidents can be serious and even life threatening. Be aware that a pool is not only fun but can be dangerous if you do not take the right precautions. The best thing to do is to arm your pool with safety devices that will prevent any accidents and for added safety include some lifeguard equipment in your pool area. A very handy piece of life saving equipment is a ring buoy. Providing one of these will be great for kids if they have a friend who finds themselves having trouble swimming and there is no adult around. This can be easily tossed in for help. I know it is hard to believe but yes children are left unattended at their home pools. This would be a great way to avoid some bad accident by keeping a close eye on the kids swimming. Another great addition to around the pool is life preserver. These can be worn by kids or adults who are not the best swimmer but still want to enjoy the pool. You can also by float rings for kids. These are rings that fit snug around the arms to allow for swimming and keep them afloat as well. Be sure that you also post signs around your pool as well. Sign will explain things that can not be done or things that will prevent accidents from happening. A sign letting people know how deep the water is or that there is no diving for example will help a lot. Most places will also have signs telling children not to run. This is a very good rule to enforce. There have been many scrapes, bruises, broken bones and sadly drownings that could have been avoided by not running around a pool. Be sure that if you do have very small children a fence or cover of some style is up when playing outside. These help save lives as well as any lifeguard equipment. The last important piece of equipment I will recommend is you. One of the best things you can do for the safety of everyone that swims at your pool is take lifeguard lessons. Training on what to do when something does go wrong around the pool will be the best life saving device you own. Knowing how to do CPR goes along with this and could be the best investment you can make. Be sure you also purchase a first aid kit. Place this somewhere close to the pool where everyone can reach it just in case no adults are around and someone get hurt. Teach your kids what to do in case something happens and how to help someone who needs it. Walk them through and show each guest where your first aid kit is and when to use it. A swimming pool is a big investment, and finding a swimming pool can be scary. Make sure you don't get soaked by using an accredited contractor with a history of good work. A qualified pool builder will help you decide what size and shape of pool would be best for your property and won't leave you feeling soaked before the fun begins.