Swimming and your safety

Published Aug. 14, 2008
By Michael Puleo
21st Aerospace Medicine Squadron

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Summer is almost over, but there are more warm days ahead to enjoy swimming and other water activities with family and friends. Before you head out, keep the following tips on recreational water illnesses in mind.

RWIs are the various illnesses caused by germs that can contaminate water in pools, lakes and the ocean. The most common RWI is diarrhea, caused by germs like Giardia, Shigella, E. coli and cryptosporidiosis, or "crypto."

Pool water is shared by every swimmer. A person with diarrhea can easily contaminate the pool with fecal matter. Diarrhea is then spread when swimmers swallow this contaminated pool water.

Germs causing RWIs are killed by chlorine, but it doesn't work right away. Some germs, like crypto, can live in pools for days. Without your help, even the best-maintained pools can spread illness.

Practice the 'PLEAs' to protect yourself and others against these water illnesses:

Three PLEAs for all swimmers:

Please do not swim when you have diarrhea. This is especially important for kids in diapers. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick.

Please do not swallow the pool water. In fact, avoid getting water in your mouth.

Please practice good hygiene. Take a shower before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Germs on your body end up in the water.

Three PLEAs for parents of young swimmers:

Please take your kids on bathroom breaks or check diapers often. Waiting to hear "I have to go" may mean that it's too late.

Please change diapers in a bathroom and not poolside. Germs can spread to surfaces and objects in and around the pool and spread illness.

Please wash your child thoroughly (especially the rear end) with soap and water before swimming. Everyone has invisible amounts of fecal matter on their bottoms that ends up in the pool.

Also, here are just a few more swimming safety tips:

- Swimming ... a real workout: Know your limitations, take breaks and, if you get tired while you're in the water, float on your back for a few minutes until you get your strength back.

- Red Flag warnings: If caught in a rip tide (strong currents that pull swimmers away from the shore and out to sea), don't fight against the current. Swim parallel to the shore until the tug of the riptide dissipates.

- Keep an eye on the clouds: If you spot bad weather (dark clouds, lightening), be safe and take the fun indoors.

- Wear sunscreen: Use sunscreen with SPF-15 or higher and make sure your sunscreen blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Put it on 30 minutes before you go out in the sun and remember to cover your face, lips, hands, forearms, shoulders, ears, back of your neck, under your chin and the top of your head.