Tips for Staying Safe with Water

Although water brings to mind all the fun of summer for your family—running through sprinklers, splashing in the pool and jumping in the lake—it also can be dangerous, even in your own home.

At Paul Davis Restoration & Emergency Services of Woodbury, we know how hazardous even one inch of water can be, and our goal is to make sure needless tragedies don’t happen to you. Take a look at our safety tips to help you avoid potential water-related injuries in the home—and have a happy, safe summer!

It’s one of life’s sad truths: Drowning can happen in the blink of an eye and in less than an inch of water. If you have children or babies in the home, it’s particularly important to heed these words: Never leave a bucket or any other container filled with water unattended. Always keep your bathroom doors closed and consider installing a toilet-lid lock if you have a curious toddler.  

Finally, never leave a baby unattended in the tub—even if it’s just for a minute, and even if he or she is in a bathtub seat. If the phone rings or you need to answer the door, wrap your baby in a towel and bring him or her with you. It may be an extra step, it may make your shirt wet, but it will keep your child safe and prevent potentially fatal accidents.  

Got a bright, sparkling pool out back? You may be the envy of the neighborhood, but remember that extra caution is needed if you have children or non-swimmers in the house.  Consider installing a high fence (at least 4 feet) around the pool, with a gate that’s out of a child’s reach. Make sure there’s always supervision for any pool-related activity, and keep horseplay at a minimum to avoid dangerous
situations.  

Finally, always remove any pool toys from the water after your kids are done playing—they may try to fish out the toys later while unsupervised. As for wading pools, take safety one step further: Empty them out at the end of every cooling-off session so kids aren’t tempted to jump back in. 

It can happen in any home—you head down to the basement to grab a hammer and find yourself standing in ankle-deep water. Looks like you’ve got a flood on your hands! Any standing water is a breeding ground for microorganisms and bacteria; this is particularly true for water that may have come into contact with sewage or toxins, but even rainwater can carry bacteria and viruses.

Your entire family—particularly the most vulnerable members, such as children and the elderly—should avoid direct contact with any floodwaters in your home.  If you must come into contact with the water, wear protective clothing, gloves and a mask to minimize your risk of contracting a virus.  

After a flood, do not drink your tap water until it’s been tested, and don’t eat any food (even boxed or canned!) that has come into contact with floodwaters.

Finally, get a professional to survey the damage and restore your home—this is too big (and dangerous!) of a job for you to undertake on your own!

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