If you are at a public beach, make sure you stay within the designated swimming area. If you are at a natural water source, and even if you're a strong swimmer, if you aren't familiar with the water source, please be cognizant and be careful with your surroundings.”

Amy Larson, EMS Outreach Coordinator, Aspirus MedEvac.

Summer and swimming are a perfect match. Whether it's heading to the beach, lounging by the pool, or exploring a lake, swimming is one of the best ways to cool off and enjoy the sunny weather. Activities in and on the water are a favorite for many during warm-weather months.

Even if you’re experienced on/in the water and a strong swimmer, it’s important to know the risks and take sensible precautions to avoid a tragedy. “Most importantly, I recommend taking swim lessons and learning water competency skills from the professionals directly,” said Kaylee Dasher, Aquatics Director, YMCA of the Northwoods. “However, that is not always accessible for everyone. So, I would recommend learning how to float. There are a lot of great resources available to be able to teach yourselves that at home. So, if you have access to a, preferably life-guarded body of water, learning how to float on your back is a pivotal survival skill.”

“If you are at a public beach, make sure you stay within the designated swimming area,” said Amy Larson, EMS Outreach Coordinator, Aspirus MedEvac. “If you are at a natural water source, and even if you're a strong swimmer, if you aren't familiar with the water source, please be cognizant and be careful with your surroundings.”

Before you dive in, it’s important to check out these swimming tips:

• Learn to swim. Ensure that everyone in the family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate swimming courses.
• Children and inexperienced swimmers should wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
• Watch kids when they are in or around water without being distracted. Keep young children and weak swimmers within arm’s reach of an adult. Assign a Water Watcher.
• Don’t swim alone. Make sure older children and adults never swim alone, even at a public pool or a beach that has a lifeguard on duty. Always go with a buddy.
• Obey the signs. Water-safety signs and flags are important hazard warnings. They indicate where safety aids or lifeguards are available.
• Enter feet first. What may look like deep water can actually be an illusion, leading you into thinking it’s safe to dive in. Always enter the water feet first to check the depth and be aware of any hazards.
• Swimming in open water is not the same as swimming in a pool. Open water may have uneven surfaces, sudden drop-offs, currents, undertow and limited visibility.

According to Dasher, water safety is the leading cause of death for children under the age of three, and it’s the second leading cause of death for children under the age of 14. “One thing I definitely recommend for parents, caregivers, just anyone really, is knowing what to do in an emergency,” added Dasher. “We here at the Y, we have different classes available, such as life-guarding classes, as well as basic CPR first aid classes. And knowing what to do in an emergency and being able to keep a level head in an emergency can definitely be the difference in life or death, especially when it comes to CPR and drownings.”

“If you see a water emergency taking place, if you are safely able to get them out of the water, please do so. But the first thing we would like you to do is call 911,” said Larson. “The sooner you call 911, the sooner the emergency medical personnel and first responders can get to that patient and give them the care they need.”

Both experts stress the importance of taking water safety seriously. Dasher says learning how to float on your back and staying calm until help arrives can be effective while Larson explains how picking the right lifejacket for children and adults is also important.