Water safety tips: What to know before swimming this summer

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 through 4, according to the CDC, and about 4,000 people drown in the United States every year.

Connor Roe, a lifeguard at Crowley’s Ridge State Park, said swimmers should know their limits regardless of their skill level.

“Make sure that if you can swim, you stay within the area that you can swim in,” Roe said. “We have a lot of people that go out into the deeper end, and that’s where we have to make many of our saves.”

Roe said knowing how to swim can protect not only yourself but others around you, and that swim lessons add an extra layer of protection.

“I’d say it’s very important to know how to swim,” Roe said. “In the event that someone is drowning and you don’t know how to swim, you can get out there and pull them out.”

Jonesboro Parks and Recreation Director Jim Stearns said the color of a swimsuit can affect how visible a person is underwater.

“If you have swimsuits that are the same color as the water, it makes it difficult to see that child — or even that adult, for that matter,” Stearns said. “So, you want to make sure that you pick a bright-colored swimsuit, and blue is probably the worst color.”

Stearns also cautioned that swimmers can become dehydrated quickly, even while in the water.

“When you are out in the water, you don’t realize how much you are sweating,” Stearns said. “It can also be easy to miss signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. So even though you’re in the water and it feels kind of cool, you still want to make sure you take precautions and hydrate well.”

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