Red Cross Warns Not to Take Vacation from Safety This Weekend
Many pools and lakes in metro Atlanta will open for summer this holiday weekend. Crowds plus water can equal accidents. Atlanta Red Cross spokesperson Reuben Brown says one of the best ways to stay safe in crowded areas is not to swim alone.
“We always want people to swim with buddies, even in pools that have a lot of people present or in water parks,” Brown says, “You’d be surprised how many people think that because they’re around big crowds, that gives them some degree of safety. Well, it really doesn’t.”
Brown says children who can’t swim can use life jackets, but only if the label says they’re Coast Guard-approved. He says parents should use caution when it comes to flotation devices, such as noodles and water wings.
“They aren’t approved by the Coast Guard,” he says, “They are simply swimming aids and they are meant to be used while under the supervision of a responsible adult or lifeguard.”
Brown says everyone—children, teens, and adults—should only swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
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