Although most pool fatalities involve children who know how to swim, even adults can drown in a matter of seconds because of a fall or other accident. Wearing the correct type of life preserver in a swimming pool reduces your risk of injury and ensures your day in the water is fun and beneficial to your health.
Highest Level of Safety
Life preservers that carry an approval tag from the United States Coast Guard have been tested for effectiveness and safety. Preservers labeled as "off-shore" are essential if you are swimming in a wave pool or in a normal pool during a period of heavy winds. The preservers will turn you face up in the water in the event you become unconscious, although the devices can be bulky. Life preservers labeled as "near-shore" are designed for the calm water common to backyard swimming pools. Near-shore preservers weigh less than off-shore preservers but also have the capacity to keep your head above water for protection if an accident occurs and you become unconscious, according to the Clark County (Nevada) Fire Department.
Use With Caution
Avoid the use of life preservers labeled as flotation aids when possible because they are typically filled with foam and offer the lowest level of safety. Flotation aids allow you to stay afloat in water and are more comfortable than off-shore or near-shore preservers, although the aid will not protect you in the event you become unconscious. Inflatable life jackets are also comfortable and offer adequate flotation when fully inflated, but are less durable and more prone to punctures, according to a webpage on the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh website.
Considerations for Children
Test life preservers for proper fit by placing the jacket on the child and then lifting her up. Select a smaller life preserver if the jacket rides up over her face or has several inches of flexibility. Crotch straps on some life preservers provide an extra level of safety by preventing a life preserver from rising on a child's body. Although some life preservers are marketed for infants, a baby under 6 months of age or 16 lb. might not be protected by the device because of the the size of her head in relation to her body. Life jackets with bright colors are essential for children in pools so parents or life guards can spot them more easily. Let your child test the life preserver in the shallow end of the pool first so that she can get used to wearing the jacket before moving into deeper water. Avoid letting children wear inflatable toys or flotation devices for the arms as substitutes for life preservers.
Warning
Flotation devices such as cushions or inflatable horseshoe buoys are often thrown into a pool to help someone who is struggling to stay afloat. While helpful in emergencies, these devices should not be used in place of a life preserver and may not help someone who can't swim stay above the water.
References
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Pool Safety for Children
- United States Coast Guard: Life Jacket Wear/Wearing Your Life Jacket
- Minnesota Safety Council: Life Jackets
- Children's Hospital of Pittsburg: Life Jackets
- Clark County Fire Department: Swimming Pool Safety
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Unintentional Drowning -- Fact Sheet
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