HAVING a splash in the pool is a brilliant way to cool down in the summer months, but the Royal Life Saving Society is reminding residents of the dangers water poses.
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Learn to swim co-ordinator Melissa Gleeson of Dubbo RSL Health Club, a Royal Life Saving affiliate, said children should be supervised when they were not only swimming, but around water generally.
"Parents should always be watching children," she said.
"Children five and under should be within arm's reach, so parents should be in the pool.
"Children aged five to 10 should be within eye view at all times.
"And children over 10 require supervision, so in the general area (and) not distracted."
Ms Gleeson said drownings could be silent and quick and a near-drowning could affect a child for the rest of their life.
"A child in the water for three seconds may scar them for life," she said.
The Dubbo RSL Health Club and Dubbo Aquatic Leisure Centre provided swimming lessons and Ms Gleeson said summer was the perfect time to learn to swim.
"Water familiarisation can start from as young as six months," she said.
"Our main aim at our pool is water safety, teaching them to save themselves and then call for help.
"We dedicate a week each month to water safety where we create scenarios and ask students what they would do to get out of them."
