By Robert Chaiken, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Fun in the sun might not always be the accurate description for summer. Take for instance the recent tragic drowning of a man while vacationing with his family in Galveston, Texas over Memorial Day Weekend. After their boat capsized during a fishing trip, three members of the family, all of whom were wearing life jackets, survived but the father, who was not wearing a life jacket, was found floating nearby and eventually pronounced dead at the hospital.
Precautions you can take in order to stay safe while on the water:
Stay hydrated. Alcohol consumption in the sun causes serious dehydration. Everyone, especially those consuming alcohol, needs to drink water or non-alchoholic fluids in order to avoid heat exhaustion or, more importantly, a heat stroke.
If you feel tired, REST. Children ranging from kids to young adults like to keep up with their friends. However, if you feel exhausted or observe a tired adult or child, it is imperative breaks are taken to avoid trouble in the water including incidents of drowning; the water has a heightened potential to overpower you.
Shield yourself from the sun. The sun has the capacity to make you tire faster. Cover yourself up with clothing and seek shade for a brief period of time every hour you’re out in enjoying the sun.
Be overly cautious in a surf environment. Avoid going into water with rip currents. This advice may apply even if another swimmer is in trouble or danger. In some situations, the would be rescuer becomes the victim of a drowning. Also, it is advisable to avoid swimming near piers and jetties.
Pay attention to the warning signs surround you. Is there a lifeguard on duty? What does the lifeguard’s colored flag indicate? What is the weather like?
When supervising children at a beach, water way, lake, pond, swimming pool, or other swimming area, you can never be too careful. Pay close attention to children at at all times. It is well known that children often times have poor safety awareness and judgment. This is especially true in areas of water / swimming and boating activities.
Click here for more information on how to stay safe in the sun.