Heading to a pool? Follow these safety tips for a safe swim

Many of them will be heading to the pools as a way to stay cool and have some fun. This includes a backyard pool, visiting a friend's house for a party or heading to one of the public pools in our area.

Unfortunately, this is also the time of the year that we hear about many deadly drownings in the Valley.

According to the Phoenix Fire Department's website, drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children under the age of 4 in Arizona.

Phoenix firefighters say while most children drown in their own pools, many of them can also drown in canals, buckets, toilets, bathtubs and ponds.

While we know these fatal incidents can be tragic, Phoenix Fire says that non-fatal drownings can cause permanent brain damage.

Of course, these incidents can be avoidable.

Here are safety tips while you are in the pool:

• Learn to swim.
• Never swim alone.
• Never swim under the influence of alcohol or medications.
• Never swim when you hear thunder or see lightning.
• Never dive into an unfamiliar body of water.
• Learn CPR.

If you do see someone drowning in the pool, do the following:

• Yell for help and pull the person out of the water.
• Call 911 immediately.
• Stay on the line with the 911 operator.
• Begin CPR.

If you are not trained, follow the instructions from the 911 operator until help arrives.

Remember that there must be a designated adult or two constantly watching children swimming in the water. Even if homes have pool fences or floatation devices, things can happen quickly.