Safe Swimming Tips

Published on June 09, 2022

Our spring weather has been finicky, but it’s finally become the beautiful Pacific Northwest that makes enduring nine months of gray skies all worth it. That means more people are outside - and in the water. Although it might be warming up outside, Lake Washington is still deceptively cold. Here are some water safety tips to help you and your family stay safe when you head to your favorite swimming spot in Kirkland this season.

For adults:

Don’t swim alone – bring a friend.
Know your swim limitations and don’t follow friends past swimming boundaries.
Don’t swim and drink. Alcohol can affect your body’s ability to maintain its core temperature and lead to hypothermia, faster.
If you’ve had a drink and still want to swim, wear a life jacket. It’s hard for swimmers who wear life jackets properly to drown.
Even if water surface temperature is 70 degrees, just 5 feet down, it might only be 50 degrees. If you start shivering, that’s an early sign of hypothermia, and it’s time to get out of the water.

For families with kids:

Pay close attention to kids near water at all times and don’t become distracted by your phone, even if there’s a lifeguard. It only takes a few moments for water to become dangerous for a little one.
Only allow kids to swim or play in areas watched by lifeguards.
Never leave a young child unattended near water and don’t trust a child’s life to another child. Teach kids to always ask permission to go near water.
Designate a person in your group to be the ‘water watcher’ when kids are near water.

Check out even more water safety tips from the American Red Cross.