​​​​​​​​We're observing National Water-Safety Month this May -- and every other month as well. We hope you enjoy our water amenities, and we encourage you to make water safety a priority.

Follow these water-safety tips provided by SWIM Central, the coordinating agency for water-safety instruction and awareness in Broward County.

• A child should NEVER be able to enter the pool area unsupervised.
  
• Supervision, the first and most crucial layer of protection, means a responsible adult is always watching a child. But in reality, a brief lapse in supervision can occur, which is why barriers act as a second level of defense and include door, window, and pool alarms in working condition and never disabled; door closures, gate latches and fences should be inspected regularly; never place objects near a fence that could allow a child to climb over and into unprotected water; and more.
  
• Teach children water safety and swimming skills as early as possible.
• Always brief babysitters on water safety, emphasizing the need for constant supervision.
• Appoint a "designated watcher" to monitor children during social gatherings at or near pools.
• Maintain constant visual contact with children in a pool or pool area.
• Don't think you'll hear a child who's in trouble in the water; child drowning is a silent death, with no splashing to alert anyone that the child is in trouble.
• Post CPR instructions and learn the procedures.
• Don't use flotation devices as a substitute for supervisors.

SWIM Central partners with the Broward County School Board and Children's Services Council of Broward County (CSC), who provides funding of more than $700,000. This money pays for the water-safety instruction program and the coupon voucher program as well as outreach events and informational sessions for child-care facilities. Since 2014, the CSC provides $275,000 in coupons to offset the cost of swimming lessons for children aged 6 months through 8 years. To apply for coupons and more information, visit WaterSmartBroward.org

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