Amica Insurance Offers Five Tips for Safer Swimming

Lincoln, RI (PRWEB) June 21, 2012

Brutally hot temperatures have blanketed much of the country in recent days, leading many families to seek relief in public and private swimming pools. But pool-related accidents are a leading cause of death and injury for children, so Amica Insurance is sharing five important water safety tips.

“It’s important to never let children out of sight when they’re swimming, even if there’s a lifeguard on duty,” said Michael Gillerlane, a senior assistant vice president with Amica Insurance. “It only takes a second for a tragedy to occur.”

Nearly 400 children under age 15 drown in pools and spas each year and more than 5,000 others are treated for pool-related injuries, according to federal statistics.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notes that drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children under age 5. And more than 60 percent of all pool-related deaths and injuries occur in pools owned by the victim’s family or friends.

“Parents and caregivers need to be sure their children are supervised whenever they are in or around a pool,” Gillerlane said. “And homeowners need to take special precautions to make sure their pools, including wading pools, are as safe as possible.”

The CPSC and the American Red Cross offer these pool safety tips:

   •      Make sure your child is not left unsupervised near any pool – even a wading pool.
   •     Have children stay within arm’s reach at all times, whether they’re in or around a pool.
   •     Insist that young children and those who aren’t strong swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets whether swimming or playing near a pool.
   •     Enroll children in swimming lessons whenever possible so they learn the proper swimming techniques and water safety.
   •     Make sure pools are gated and locked and that wading pools are emptied when not in use. “Pools are great fun, but they also come with risks and responsibilities – for swimmers and homeowners alike,” Gillerlane said. “It’s important that everyone – especially children – understand the importance of pool safety to ensure that everyone has a fun, safe summer.”
For more information, visit http://www.redcross.org or http://www.poolsafely.gov.

About Amica
Amica Mutual Insurance Company, the nation's oldest mutual insurer of automobiles, was founded in 1907. The company, with corporate headquarters in Lincoln, RI, is a national writer of automobile, homeowners, marine and personal umbrella liability insurance. Life coverage is available through Amica Life Insurance Company, a wholly owned subsidiary. Amica employs more than 3,100 people in 40 offices across the country.

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