It takes only two inches of water for the pool to become deadly. Here's what you should know.
As the first hot weekend of the 2018 summer approaches and we try and find ways to cool off, we may be thinking it's time for the pools or the splash pads! Though you may think a shallow inflatable pool is safe for your kids, it can be dangerous if you're not careful.
We sourced some of the experts, like the American Red Cross, WebMD and Pool Safely:
- All children should take formal swimming lessons.
- Your child should always swim under close supervision of someone else who is a capable swimmer. It's even better if that person knows CPR.
- Make sure the pool is clean. Test it regularly to ensure proper chemical levels and the filtration system is working properly.
- Establish swimming rules such as "no diving" and "no running along the rim of the pool."
- Teach your kids not to swim by pool drains.
- It only takes two inches of water to drown your child, so it can even happen in unlikely places like the toilet or a bucket
- After your kids are around water, make sure to watch for symptoms of dry drowning
- Dry drowning symptoms include cough, sleepiness, trouble breathing and chest pain. Go to a doctor immediately.
Our experts at the YMCA Buffalo Niagara also suggest teaching your kids "Reach, throw, don't go." They should stay grounded outside of the pool and throw a flotation device to someone who's struggling, rather than going in after them. The YMCA also recommends having an active supervisor around water. Adult presence is not enough, they need to be actively watching for danger. Staff also want there to be an understanding of drowning. It's not a loud, alarming spectacle, lots of times drowning is slow and quiet, with kids easily slipping under water without a sound.
If you're looking to cool off, here's a list of pools and splash pads in the area that will be opening this weekend:
Splash pads opening on Sunday, July 1st include:
MLK Humboldt Basin - Best & Fillmore
Centennial - Foot of Porter in LaSalle Park
Houghton Park - Foot of Spann Street, off Clinton
Cazenovia Park - Near the Cazenovia Casino
Lanigan Park - South Park Avenue, near Louisiana
Schiller Park - Sprenger Avenue
Kensington Pool grounds - Kensington, at Grider
Allison Pool grounds - Reese Street
Roosevelt Park - Foot of Roosevelt Avenue
City pools that will open Saturday, June 30th:
Allison Pool
50 Rees Street, 11am-7pm
Closed Sunday
Centennial Pool
5 Porter Avenue, 11am-7pm
Closed Saturday
Crowley Wading Pool
Tonawanda Street, Crowley Street buffalo, ny 14207 11am-7pm
Closed Saturday
Houghton Pool
36 Spann Street,11am-7pm
Closed Sunday
JFK Pool
114 Hickory Street,11am-7pm
Closed Saturday
Kensington Pool
665 Kensington Avenue, 11am-7pm
Closed Sunday
Masten Pool
224 Best Street, 11am-7pm
Closed Saturday
MLK Wading Pool
175 North Parade Avenue, 11am-7pm
Closed Sunday
Riverside Pool
2505 Niagara Street,11am-7pm
Closed Sunday
Shoshone Pool
467 Beard Avenue, 11am-7pm
Closed Saturday
A list of Buffalo Indoor Pools
Lovejoy Indoor Pool
1171 E. Lovejoy Street, 9am-8pm; weekends 11am-6: 30pm
Closed Tuesday
Cazenovia Indoor Pool
626 Abbott Road, 9am-8pm; weekends 11am-6:30pm
Closed Monday
