{"id":207,"date":"2017-07-17T01:22:57","date_gmt":"2017-07-17T01:22:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/?p=207"},"modified":"2018-10-18T14:39:19","modified_gmt":"2018-10-18T20:39:19","slug":"summer-swim-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/summer-swim-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer Swim Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u00a0 \"Sailboat\"<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Michigan is covered in water!<\/span><\/strong><\/span> We have lakes, rivers, and ponds all over the place! Trivia websites will say that our state has the highest water to land ratio at 58% land and 42% water. We\u2019ve even been blessed with being surrounded by the Great Lakes and having a massive fresh water source all around us. As amazing as this is, it\u2019s can also be dangerous. Some of us have grown up very comfortable with the water and forget about how dangerous it can be or what to watch out for when spending a day at the beach. Water can be so fun and exciting but we need to be cautious when near it, and not get carried away with our excitement. Here are some basic guidelines and reminders before getting your suit on and heading for the deep end:\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adults and\/or Lifeguards are necessary!<\/strong><\/span> You may think that you can handle 4 kids for their first trip to the beach but it\u2019s better to be extra cautious. Having an extra set of eyes and hands to help in case of an emergency can only be beneficial. Someone with a first aid background is preferable. A busy beach can cause distractions to you and anyone else who might be with you. It only takes a second of a child being unwatched for an accident to occur. Your own children may not be the issue either and you might need another adult to assist you with the situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Pick the right life jacket and monitor the person wearing it.<\/span> <\/strong>A life jacket that doesn\u2019t fit will only cause stress and panic. If it\u2019s too small then it won\u2019t have the ability to keep the person\u2019s head afloat, and if it\u2019s too large then they\u2019ll slip right out of it! A lifejacket that is even slightly too large will make it difficult to swim. Choose the correct size and you\u2019ll be safe! Now even when wearing a life jacket you still must monitor them. Small children frequently get stuck face down in the water and are not strong enough to stand themselves back up or even lift their face out of the water.<\/span><\/p>\n

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3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 No running or flipping near water.<\/span><\/strong> These are both fun activities however they are dangerous. We want to be sure that we have good traction and know what we\u2019re doing. Running on the wet tile is one of the easiest ways to get a concussion. Flipping and\/or diving both need to be from experienced people who have surveyed their surroundings and the depth of the water.<\/span><\/p>\n

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4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Alcohol causes problems. <\/span><\/strong><\/span>We all know that alcohol can impair judgment and can easily be overly consumed. We need to be sure though, that while we\u2019re at the beach we\u2019re drinking plenty of water and having a snack as well. Not only will it keep our minds more clear but it will keep our bodies healthier and more able to endure a day in the hot sun.<\/span><\/p>\n

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5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stay out of direct sunlight to avoid heat stroke!<\/span><\/strong><\/span> You may think you\u2019re just feeling tired and warm but it could be something worse! A few symptoms of heat stroke is a headache, dizziness, lack of sweat, hot and dry skin, muscle weakness or cramps, nausea, and rapid shallow breathing. If you, or anyone else, show these symptoms then you will want to get to a shaded area and cover them with cool water. Fanning them will help as well. Ice packs or wet towels can be placed in the armpits and on the neck to help with the cooling process.<\/span><\/p>\n

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6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Be sure to drink water \u2013<\/strong><\/span> swimming is exercise! While you\u2019re in the water it might seem unnecessary to get out and go grab a drink of H2O but it\u2019s essential to a fun day in the sun. Swimming is one of the best calorie burning exercises and is done while in the elements. If alcohol is an additional factor then it\u2019s even more important to remember to drink water and stay hydrated. This will help prevent heat stroke and keep you energized during the day!<\/span><\/p>\n

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7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sunburn under water \u2013<\/span><\/strong><\/span> Most people assume that the areas of their body that is underwater, isn\u2019t subject to the sun BUT the rays actually can reach down farther into the water. You will get a sunburn while swimming even when submerged.<\/span><\/p>\n

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8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Know your area and surroundings (boats, other people, and dangerous animals) \u2013<\/span><\/strong><\/span> It\u2019s important to be aware of your surroundings while at the beach. You\u2019ll want to know if there\u2019s rocks or any <\/span>drop-offs in the swimming area if boats are near, and what the weather is going to be like. These are all things that can sneak up on us if we don\u2019t pay close attention. You\u2019ll also want to be conscious of the people swimming around you, one of the most common causes of drowning is when someone is panicking in the water and grabs onto the person closest to them. A flotation device is ALWAYS a better option in this situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"family<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Here are some fun places to check out if you\u2019re looking for a water hot-spot:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Grand River<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Millennium Park<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Long Lake Park<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Myers Lake Park<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Wabasis Lake Park<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rogue River (Rockford)<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Reeds Lake<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Riverside Park (within city of Grand Rapids)<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thornapple River<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Flat River (Lowell)<\/span><\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bostwick Lake<\/span><\/p>\n

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Share with us! What\u2019s your favorite beach and why?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  \u00a0 Michigan is covered in water! We have lakes, rivers, and ponds all over the place! Trivia websites will say that our state has the highest water to land ratio at 58% land and 42% water. We\u2019ve even been blessed with being surrounded by the Great Lakes and having a massive fresh water source […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=207"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":457,"href":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207\/revisions\/457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.allins.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}