Getting your kids in the swim

Constant supervision is the most important rule for keeping kids safe around water, says Shelley Dalke of the Canadian Red Cross. Here are her other top safety tips.

• Fence pools on all sides with self-latching gates (ideally fencing should be six feet high); empty or cover wading pools as soon as kids are finished playing in them.

• Keep rescue equipment and a telephone by the pool.

• Set ground rules for safe pool use; if you have to go indoors, to answer the door, for example, make sure everyone clears the fenced-in pool area until you return.

• Learn the safety rules yourself, then teach children to recognize when somebody's in trouble. Have practice drills: "If you see this happening, yell for help."

• Get CPR training and update it regularly. Ensure that anyone supervising your child near water knows how to swim and perform CPR. For courses, check out the St. John Ambulance website at www.sja.ca or the Red Cross site at www.redcross.ca.

• Don't rely on water wings or other personal flotation devices to protect kids in the water. They can deflate as easily as they inflate.

• It's a good idea for youngsters to wear a life jacket when playing near water, but it should never replace adult supervision.

For more info, visit www.tenminutesforlife.com and www.aap.org/family/tippool.htm.