Water Safety
When the weather turns warm, everyone wants to be in or around the water. Hanging out at the pool or the beach on a hot day is a great way to beat the heat.

Between having fun and checking out the lifeguards, most people don't think much about water safety — but they should. For people between the ages of 5 and 24, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death.

It doesn't have to be that way, though. Most water-related accidents can be avoided by knowing how to stay safe and following a few simple guidelines. Learning how to swim is essential if you plan on being on or near water.

Here is Elise’s message on water safety.

Water safety

Everyone this summer needs to be aware of the water.

Rips are the most dangerous part of the water.  If you are in a rip you let it take you out till it stops and then swim to the side.  If you don’t know how to swim put your hand up high and that is the help sign. 

If you are at a picnic and someone needs help in the water you can throw  anything that floats. Give them instructions how to use it.  After that they should be safe. 

So be safe this summer in the water.

By Elise

 Swimming Smarts

"Buddy up!" That's what swimming instructors say. Always swim with a partner, every time — whether you're swimming in a backyard pool or in a lake.

Get skilled. It's good to be prepared. Learning some life-saving skills, such as CPR and rescue techniques, can help you save a life.

Know your limits. Swimming can be a lot of fun — and you might want to stay in the water as long as possible. If you're not a good swimmer or you're just learning to swim, don't go in water that's so deep you can't touch the bottom and don't try to keep up with skilled swimmers.If you are a good swimmer and have had lessons, keep an eye on friends who aren't as comfortable or as skilled as you are.

Charlie knew the right thing to do when you read her story.

To the rescue.

‘HELP!  HELP!’  someone screamed.

 I turned around and looked out to sea. I could just see the tip of a finger bobbing up and down.

 ‘HELP  ME’. There it goes again.

What should I do?
 Do I tell the life guard or do I swim out and help them?

As I thought that, three life guards zoomed out into the sea on a life boat to save the person in distress.

 One of the life guards pulled a boy out of the water and ended up back on the sand.

By Charlie Kennedy

 Swim in safe areas only. It's a good idea to swim only in places that are supervised by a lifeguard. No one can anticipate changing ocean currents, rip currents, sudden storms, or other hidden dangers. In the event that something does go wrong, lifeguards are trained in rescue techniques.

These were some of the messages shared by Tracey, a member of the Royal Life Saving, who gave us lessons on dealing with rips, swimming safely in the sea and rivers, and learning ways to rescue those in trouble. Here we are beside our school pool listening to instructions.

There was a clear message from Tracey when swimming in the sea. Swimming in an open body of water (like a river, lake, or ocean) is different from swimming in a pool. You need more energy to handle the currents and other changing conditions in the open water.

If you do find yourself caught in a current, don't panic and don't fight the current. Try to swim parallel to the shore until you are able to get out of the current, which is usually a narrow channel of water. If you're unable to swim away from the current, stay calm and float with the current. The current will usually slow down, then you can swim to shore.

But there can be fun at school. A water slide was set up at school for the children to enjoy. Here is Hyla’s story.
The Water SlideAs I run up the hill I had a tingle in my body.I saw the water slide which was amazing.I was excited waiting my turn.When it was my turn Mr Barclay said go.I fell on my stomach.The muddy slide was scary.We saw so many people lining up.We see people going down the water slide.We were waiting for Mr Lovell to have a turn He ran and ran and then he landed under the mattress.
By Hyla