Recreation and Water Safety Lesson 2 of 4

Instant Activity If you were planning a day at the beach or lake, what supplies would you need for a safe and healthy outing? List five specific items that you would take.

Recreational Safety Recreational activities are fun, but they can be accompanied by the unexpected. Common sense and caution can minimize the risk of unintentional injuries during recreational activities. Outdoor activities are enjoyable and can help you stay fit. Staying healthy and safe during outdoor activities requires: Know your limits. Stick with tasks that match your level of ability.

Recreational Safety cont. Bring supplies. Take plenty of safe drinking water. Never drink from a lake, river, or stream-they may contain illness-causing pathogens. Plan simple meals. Wear protective clothing. Proper clothing can protect against weather and poisonous plants and insects. Tell people your plans. Let them know where you are going and when you plan to return. Carry a cell phone if possible. Plan ahead for the weather. Warm days may turn into cold nights and storms may occur suddenly. Heat exhaustion is an overheating of the body that results in cold, clammy skin and symptoms of shock. Use sunscreen to protect the skin from UV rays.

Safety While Camping and Hiking To prevent injuries when camping and hiking: Stay in specified campsites, and hike only in approved areas. Never hike or camp alone. Be knowledgeable about poisonous plants, insects, and snakes. Wear insect repellant. Be cautious around wildlife. Store food where animals cannot get to it, such as in a vehicle or suspended from a high tree branch. Be careful around campfires and observe fire safety rules. Smother all camp fires with dirt and water. Never drink from lakes, rivers, or streams; it may contain disease-causing pathogens.

Winter Sport Safety When skiing, snowboarding, or participating in other winter sports, dress in layers. Air trapped between layers of clothing helps insulate you from the cold. Hypothermia, a condition in which body temperature becomes dangerously low. Make sure the outer-most layer is waterproof and wear a hat. Wear sunscreen, especially in high elevations. Always wear the appropriate safety equipment.

Accident Chain Activity Local Teen Injured in Diving Accident A Summerville teen is in critical condition after he was recovered from the bottom of a pool Saturday night. Jon Franklin was at the party of a friend where more than 30 people were present. Franklin was found in about six feet of water. The pool had no depth indicators and the area was poorly lit. No one present had training in water safety. Witnesses say alcohol may have been a factor in the accident. A hospital spokesperson has confirmed that Franklin suffered a severe spinal cord injury and that his prognosis is uncertain.

Accident Chain Activity Directions Diving accidents cause more than 850 spinal cord injuries each year. Many of these injuries result in paralysis of all four limbs. Read the article, and answer the questions below to increase your understanding of how “links” in the accident chain lead to injuries: What was the situation? What were the unsafe habits that contributed to this accident? What was the unsafe action? What was the accident? What was the result?

Water Safety Drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death. The four major causes of drowning are: failure to wear a life jacket alcohol use lack of swimming skill hypothermia

Safety precautions for water-related activities Swimming Learn to swim. Know your abilities, and always swim with a partner. Swim only in designated areas where a lifeguard is present. If you get a muscle cramp, relax, float, and press and squeeze the muscle until it relaxes.

Safety precautions for water-related activities cont. Diving Learn the proper diving technique. Check the depth before diving. The American Red Cross recommends a minimum depth of nine feet. Never dive in unfamiliar areas or into dark or shallow water. Make sure the area is clear of swimmers and floating objects.

Safety precautions for water-related activities cont. Boating And Personal Watercraft Learn how to handle a boat or personal watercraft (PWC) correctly, and know the laws governing their use. Always wear approved personal flotation devices on boats and PWC. At the first indication of bad weather, return to shore. Never ride in a boat or PWC with an operator who has been using alcohol or drugs.

Drowning Prevention If you fall into cold water while boating, assume one of these positions. They can help you stay afloat and reduce the risk of hypothermia until help arrives. Lessen heat loss by drawing your knees up to your chest and keeping your upper arms close to the side of your body. You lose a lot of heat through your head, so try to keep it out of the water. If you are with one or more people, huddle close together in a circle to preserve body heat. A child or smaller person who loses heat faster should be placed in the center of the circle.

Lakes, River, and Ocean Safety Swimming in lakes, rivers, or the ocean presents added safety concerns. Keep these precautions in mind: Swim in supervised areas only. Enter feet first. Watch for marine warnings. Be aware of surroundings. Plan ahead.

Exit slip Why is it risky to drink form lakes, rivers, or steams? Analyze and identify three strategies for preventing accidental injuries while camping or hiking. Define the term hypothermia.

References Hilborn, Michael, Mary Bronson. Merki, and Don Merki. (2004). Injury Prevention and Safe Behaviors, Glencoe Health (pp.706-729). Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.