Water safety guidelines

News 11 reporter Melissa Zaremba gives us important safety tips for locals to be aware of before taking a dip in the water

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY-TV) - As temperatures begin to heat up, many locals will start going to the river, lake or hanging by a pool.

Whether you take your next swim, dive or float at a river, lake or pool, it's important to take extra precautions with any large bodies of water.

The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) encourages locals to learn CPR and says it saves lives.

“Keep some things in mind situational awareness, can you see the bottom, do you know what’s going on, water clarity if it’s cloudy water jumping into that you don’t know what you’re jumping into. And with natural bodies of water depths change, holes change, you don’t know what’s under there” said YFD's PIO Mike Erfert.

When locals are boating using proper equipment such as a personal flotation device is important.

And should know that inflatable pool toys aren’t recommended. 

YFD says children who are 4-years-old and younger are at a higher risk for drowning. 

“Look at it from a child’s perspective, could they get through that sliding door, can they use a doggie door to get out, whatever it is think of it from that child’s angle they don’t know any better and you want to keep them from being a pool area unsupervised,” said Erfert. 

Here's another way to reduce this risk.

“Make sure if anyone is around that pool that you have a designated water watcher and that’s what they do and make sure even adults use the buddy system and never swim alone,” said Erfert. 

When spending time in the sun it’s important to drink plenty of water and avoid sugared, caffeinated or alcoholic beverages.

If you want to learn CPR you can contact the Fire Administration at (928) 373-4850 to set up a class.

Locals can also use the ABCs of Drowning Prevention to reduce drowning risks. 

For additional tips to prevent drowning more details are found here.