I missed posting my traditional water safety post this past Memorial Day. The busy-ness and intensity surrounding my father’s celebration of life service prevented me from doing so.
I’m making up for it this week by sharing images of fun activities and things to do in and around the water.
“A vacation to the ocean swims you deep in to the past; when summer spun her beauty into moments meant to last.” ~ Angie Weiland-Crosby
Why Water Safety Matters
Memorial Day weekend (the last weekend in May) in the US is traditionally recognized as the kickoff to summer. The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) partners with several organizations, including the American Red Cross and the International Water Safety Foundation.
The partnership actively brings awareness to water safety practices for people of all ages. The month of May marks Water Safety Month, but safety is recognized throughout the summer.
“The National Coalition of water safety partners have worked to raise awareness and highlight the importance of public education regarding safer practices for kids and adults when they are in and around water of all kinds.” SOURCE
Lifeguards are a vital and welcome presence on both public and private beaches, as well as in swimming pools. These highly trained men and women are the first responders within the EMS (Emergency Medical Services).
They also teach swimming lessons and promote public safety by speaking in school classrooms and participating in special events. Some lifeguards get further certifications and teach lifeguard and junior lifeguard training.
Despite water safety protocols…
The July 4th Holiday “is statistically the most dangerous holiday in the U.S.” ~SOURCE
Motor vehicle accidents are the #1 cause of death, followed by boating accidents, then fireworks accidents.
The good news is that most communities employ well-trained EMS personnel and offer safety awareness related to water activities. Most of these communities recognize that safety is needed over the entire summer. They work to partner with injury prevention programs like KIDS DON’T FLOAT, as seen in Sacramento County, California.
During the years I spent at the Sacramento River Delta, I felt proud to see this safety kiosk in operation. It provided information and offered free life vests for children to borrow.
As a university professor, I also helped influence the importance of water safety awareness to students in our parks and recreation management courses. I arranged for them to visit the Sacramento Aquatic Center on Lake Natoma as part of their experiential education practice.
Before entering the lake, staff reviewed the rules and provided instructions on wearing life jackets.
However you enjoy the lakes, rivers, and oceans, this summer, please stay safe by wearing life jackets, swimming in designated areas, and keeping an eye on weather conditions.
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post. Please use your own original images, whether new or from your archives.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently from mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link to a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
Sharing for Becky’s Simply Red and Johnbo’s Cellpic Sunday.
If you’re participating in the photo challenge, I look forward to seeing how you interpret this week’s theme! Creativity is encouraged, so please share your own photographs (old or new), poems, original short stories, and music inspired by the theme.
Join me next week as we explore July’s colors of red, white, and blue. For those participating in the challenge, feel free to use shades of red, white, and blue together or separately.
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