RENTON, Wash. — Multiple days of high heat might have you rushing to jump into the nearest body of water, but it’s important to be safe before jumping the gun.
The Renton Regional Fire Authority (RFA) on X shared four crucial tips to staying safe and having fun this summer in Washington’s waters.
Renton’s RFA recommends swimming in areas with a lifeguard close by, waiting to swim if one isn’t, and wearing a lifejacket, if a lifeguard is not at all present.
When rafting, boating, tubing, or swimming, make sure to wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved lifejacket. Toys and devices filled with just air can be dangerous and are not good replacements.
Children should be under supervision at all times, in and outside of the body of water or pool you’re swimming in. Young children, especially, should always be within arm’s reach of an adult.
It’s also important to remember Washington’s waters are cold year-round.
“Cold water temperatures can weaken even the strongest swimmer, putting them at risk of drowning,” the Renton RFA writes on X.
If it doesn’t seem safe, don’t risk it. The best decision may be to not get in at all.
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