Here are 9 water safety tips for summer activities

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Seminole County is highlighting National Water Safety Month.

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Florida is perfect for water recreation, with bodies of water that include pools and lakes.

DOH-Seminole reminds families to practice water safety as summer approaches.

Health officials said children 1 to 4 years old are more likely to drown in natural water.

Here are nine water safety tips from DOH-Seminole:

Keep your eyes on children in and around the water.
If your child is missing, check other pools or surrounding bodies of water.
Use barriers around water, including fences, self-closing/self-latching gates, and secure doors with alarms.
Have a phone nearby if you need to call 911 in an emergency.
Open cuts or wounds should not be immersed in water.
If a cut or wound occurs in the water, it should be washed with clean, running water and soap and covered with a clean, dry, waterproof bandage.
Always swim with a buddy, and when safety flags and signs give it the all-clear to do so.
Stay on dry land if you have a weakened immune system, a cut on your skin, or don’t have a buddy to swim with.

Stay away if you encounter animals that live near or in the water. For current information on red tide or blue-green algae, click here.

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