Dive Safe
Spending a day in the water is a great way to cool off. But, before you dive head first into that liquid air conditioner, ThinkFirst - is the water deep enough? According to Iowa law, it is required that public swimming pools mark where the water is too shallow to dive. Be careful when diving into the pool, or any body of water.
Before diving, enter the water feet first to check the depth of the water and for submerged objects
- Look for signs listing the rules of the area
- Never dive into shallow water (water that is five feet deep or less)
- Never dive into above-ground pools because they usually are too shallow
While a day of swimming can be fun, it can turn tragic in seconds. Check out these ThinkFirst facts:
- 90 percent of diving injuries result in quadriplegia (paralysis of both arms and both legs)
- 5,000 children age 14 and under are hospitalized each year as a result of near drowning
- 20 percent will endure severe and permanent disabilities, while 15 percent will die in the hospital
- Approximately 1,000 recreational diving injuries occur in the U.S. each year
Open bodies of water can be very dangerous to dive into. Many times, you can't see what is below to know the depth. It is extremely important to go feet first the first time in open water. Test it out before you jump in.
It's not always the extreme dives that cause the most injuries; it can be a normal dive from the side of the pool. According to Divingboardsafety.net;
- Approximately 77 percent of spinal cord injuries don't involve any sort of diving board or platform
- Approximately 70 percent of spinal cord injuries from diving result from an ordinary dive
- Approximately 57 percent of dives resulting in an spinal cord injuries happen in shallow water (0-5 feet)
Before you dive into the water, always go feet first the first time to stay safe.