South Mississippians share important water safety tips ahead of Fourth of July

BILOXI, Miss. (WXXV) — Nothing says summer in South Mississippi like spending time at the pool or beach.

However, those perfect days can quickly turn tragic if proper safety protocols aren’t followed while near the water.

Ashlyn Noel, the aquatics coordinator for the Salvation Army Kroc Center, offered a few tips for those looking to enjoy the Fourth of July weekend.

“If you’re going to the water, if you’re going to be on a jet-ski or boat, anything like that, always wear a life jacket even if you can swim,” Noel said. “You never know what could happen while you’re on the water, and especially when you’re out with kids — make sure they have life jackets, you have life jackets that fit everybody. A lot of people don’t realize that certain life jackets may not fit someone who’s smaller or life jackets may not fit somebody who’s bigger. You have to get the right size life jacket.”

She added that a buddy system should be used while swimming, even for strong swimmers.

“Another big thing is to make sure an adult is always watching a kid, even if the kid is a great swimmer, even if an adult is a great swimmer… you always want to swim in pairs just as a precaution,” Noel explained.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 4,500 people drowned per year in the United States from 2020 to 2022, and accidental drowning remains the number one cause of death in children under the age of four.

Many people remember to grab floaties and life jackets before making a splash, but few think about the impact bathing suits can have on water safety. Bright reds and oranges stand out in the water, but according to Noel, other colors are much harder to see.

“Any blues, any light colors, any pinks, like those pastels — the really light ones — are a very big no-no,” Noel said. The cute ones that you see at Target and Walmart and all those places… the really cute ones you see at most stores, they’re really not made to swim with because they don’t show up in the water.”

Teaching water safety at an early age can have a prove impact on a child’s life, and it adds a level of reassurance to summer fun.

A few young swimmers even offered their own suggestions that help keep them safe in the water.

“I do doggy-paddling and swim with my legs and using my goggles,” Cameron said after spending all afternoon at the pool.

“If you have a floaty on, you won’t fall and you won’t drown because the floaty holds you up, and the lifesaver,” six-year-old Tekarii explained.

“If you don’t have a parent… like if you’re drowning, nobody’s there to save you,” Bailey explained insistently.

“A pool noodle and a life jacket,” six-year-old Madison listed when asked about things she needs to stay safe in the water.

“Well, we always keep an adult or if we know how to swim and we have to, we keep close to our family,” Kori said, hugging her cousin McKenley.

“You just make sure you don’t go to the deep end,” McKenley added. “Don’t go all the way down there cause then you don’t know what’s down there and you don’t know what could hurt you down there.”