Jessica Moody runs a surf camp for kids and teens in Malibu, California. Her number one job is keeping the kids safe on the beach. Moody offers the following ocean safety tips for parents: “When you go to the beach, make sure there is a public lifeguard present. Otherwise, don’t let your kids go in the water.”
As a summer camp director for 8 years and a former college water polo player, Moody has a lot of experience on the water. She says you should only swim at lifeguarded beaches because “with lifeguards watching you, your chances of drowning are almost nonexistent. But your chances of drowning increase at least five times when you swim without lifeguard supervision.”
“It’s a heartbreaking statistic,” he adds, “because so many of these tragic cases are preventable.”
Staffed lifeguard towers line many public beaches. When you get to the beach, be sure to place your towels, umbrellas, beach toys, and other gear next to a staffed tower so the lifeguard can keep a close eye on you and your child at all times.
“That’s how we do it at summer camp,” says Moody, who adds, “If there’s no lifeguard present, we play in the sand instead of letting the kids go in the water. When the lifeguard shows up, we let the kids go swimming, surfing or boogie boarding.
Moody offers this last bit of advice for parents: “Even if your child is a strong swimmer, don’t let him into the ocean without a lifeguard present. If there are no lifeguards, you may see signs that say, ‘No lifeguards on duty.'” . ‘”