Water Safety Programs and Information

Make a Splash

The Department of Parks and Recreation has joined forces with the USA Swimming Foundation’s “Make a Splash” initiative to offer FREE Water Safety Lessons to young people in Prince George’s County this summer. Make a Splash is a national, child-focused water safety initiative created by the USA Swimming Foundation. Launched in 2007, Make a Splash is a national awareness campaign that saves lives by joining forces with grassroots learn-to-swim programs. Click here for more information about the USA Swimming Foundation's Make a Splash program (http://swimfoundation.org/Page.aspx?pid=261).

The 2012 program will offer 600 spaces to participants ages 6-17 who hold FREE M-NCPPC Youth IDs. There are six Make a Splash sites, including Ellen Linson Aquatic Center in College Park, Fairland Aquatic Center in Laurel, North Barnaby Splash Park in Oxon Hill, Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex in Landover, Rollingcrest-Chillum Splash Pool in Chillum, and Theresa Banks Memorial Aquatics Center in Glenarden. Participants will receive four FREE Water Safety Lessons taught by American Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructors. These lessons designed to increase awareness of safety in, on, and around water, and to promote drowning prevention.

• Registration will begin late May for our 2012 program. 
• Each client will be allowed to register for ONLY ONE (1) FREE Make a Splash course during the entire 2012 Summer.
• The Make a Splash program will be offered in two, four-week sessions to beginner and intermediate children, pre-teen and teen youth.
• There is NO COST for young people ages 6-17 with a FREE M-NCPPC Youth ID.
• Please click here for schedule.

“Make A Splash” Course Descriptions

Beginner: Non-swimmers/non-floaters will be introduced to water safety information and swimming skills.  No previous swimming ability is required.

Intermediate: This class is for those who are comfortable in the water, can fully submerge under water and can swim at least 5 yards on their front and back.  Participants will review water safety skills and work to improve swimming ability.

Children’s Classes: Ages 6-12
Pre-Teen and Teen Classes: Ages 13-17

Pool Safely

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction.  They are one group at the forefront of a national effort working to make drowning prevention a priority and as such, have launched the “Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives” public safety campaign. The campaign combines the efforts of a wide variety of partnering organizations, including drowning prevention, water and children’s safety groups; industry leaders and the pool and spa community; and state and local entities involved in pool and spa regulation. This campaign helps parents and children learn to protect themselves in and around pools and spas by offering information regarding water safety. The Pool Safely campaign is part of CPSC’s national information and education program associated with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Act. For more information check out: http://www.poolsafely.gov/

M-NCPPC has signed on to be a Campaign Safety Leader with the Pool Safely Campaign and we will be collaborating with this group in order to help disseminate messages and materials regarding water safety promotion and drowning prevention.

Parents and kids: click here to play an interactive water safety game.

Simple Water Safety Steps Can Save Lives

Your greatest water safety assurance comes from adopting and practicing as many safety steps as possible. Adding an extra safety step around the water can make all the difference. You can never know which safety step will save a life -- until it does.

PARENTS, ALWAYS REMEMBER TO:

Stay Close, Be Alert and Watch

• Always watch your children and never leave them unattended.
• Keep children away from pool drains, pipes, and other openings.
• Have a phone close by at all times.
• If a child is missing, check the pool first.
• Share safety instrucitons with family, friends, and neighbors.

Learn and Practice Water Safety Skills

• Learn to swim.
• Know how to perform CPR on children and adults.
• Understand the basics of life saving so that you can assist in a pool emergency.

Have the Appropriate Equipment

• Install a fence around the perimeter of the pool and spa at least four feet in height.
• Use self-closing and self-latching gates.
• Ensure all pools and spas have compliant drain covers.
• Install a door alarm from the house to the pool area.
• Maintain pool and spa covers in working order.
• Have life-saving equipment such as life rings or reaching poles available for use.