Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.comnesha
The Middletown Township Fire Marshal’s Office recently released tips on swimming in open bodies of water. The tips came in the wake of two deaths of missing swimmers and a water rescue on the Neshaminy Creek.
While swimming in any open body of water, whether Lake Luxemberg or the Neshaminy Creek, it is important that people of all ages, especially parents with small children, understand the dangers and take the necessary precautions to avoid injury. Children should never be allowed near any body of water without close adult supervision or U.S. Coast Guard approved Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs), in order to prevent drowning or near drowning accidents.
Drowning is the second leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 14, and it is estimated that 5,000 children are involved in near drowning events each year in the United States. Children are not the only age group at danger. There is an average of 3,533 unintentional drowning incidents each year in the United Sates, an average of about ten people per day.
Rivers and creeks can be especially dangerous for people of all ages as the strength of the current and depth of the creek or river bed can change rapidly and without notice. That is why the Fire Marshal’s Office recommends residents and visitors of Middletown take some simple precautions when swimming in any open body of water.
- Never swim in creeks and streams that are unfamiliar.
- Know the water conditions before getting in the water.
- Know your swimming limits and stay within them.
- Restrict swimming to designated swimming areas.
A complete list of open water safety tips can be found on the Middletown Township website, under the Documents, Forms & Permits section of website under Fire Marshal Documents, Forms & Permits. If you any questions about open water safety, you can contact Fire Marshal Jim McGuire at 215-750-3800 ext. 121 or by email at jbuzby@middletown-township.org.
