Remember Basic Beach Safety Tips This Summer

Within the next few days, the weather is supposed to take a turn in Michigan and finally start warming up to the 70 degrees we're accustomed to during this time of year. With warm weather comes trips to the local beaches, which is always fun but can spell danger if you aren't careful. One man in Texas learned that lesson and almost lost his life in the process, but thanks to a deputy he survived.

Wes Manion was a brand new deputy fresh out of the policy academy but was pretty sure that the bloated, greenish-tinted body of a man who washed up on the shore of a Galveston, TX beach was dead. Manion almost didn't perform CPR but decided to pull the body to shore anyway, clear the man's airways and start chest compressions. He also instructed bystanders to cut a bucket and fishing wire away from the man's body. The man, Jason Roy, spit out water and began to breathe but was airlifted to the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston without the expectation that he would live. If he did live, doctors anticipated that he would be in a permanent vegetative state. But just nine days later, Roy was up and walking, laughing and talking. Roy is extremely grateful for Wes and the two haven't been out of contact since Roy was released from the hospital.

While this story has a happy ending, not all do. However, by following basic beach safety tips, you can prevent a summer disaster. For example:

1. Apply sunscreen liberally and often to your children
2. Have children wear sun glasses
3. You Should Never Leave Your Child Unsupervised- Children can drown in a few inches of water in a few minutes. A quick tip is to teach children to stay out of the water until an adult is supervising them.
4. Children should be taught how to swim – lessons should include safety instruction.
5. Stay out of water that has been posted as unsafe for swimming-Young children can swallow pollutants with water and illnesses such as diarrhea and respiratory, eye, nose and throat infections can result. If water is unclear, objects like broken glass and other hazards won't be visible.
6. Teach children to never dive into the water. If children want to jump in, parents should check first to see if water is deep enough.
7. Review with your children your family’s basic safety rules eg, no running, pushing, or hurting other children, respect for other children and people using the beach or pool and NEVER PUSH ANYONE UNDER THE WATER.
8. Teach children and keep them away from all water sources, especially rivers.
9. Always get out of a pool or lake if a storm is approaching.
10. Teach children to obey pool safety rules.

Have a great summer and enjoy the local Michigan beaches!