Drowning lands in the top three leading causes of accidental death in the US. It takes just one glance away or a misstep for a casualty to happen. So before you head out to the Galveston beaches, there are some things you should know to keep your loved ones safe.
#1. Accompany any inexperienced swimmers into the water:
Make sure a strong swimmer accompanies any amateur swimmers—both children and adults—into the water. Even if you have a child that can swim in a pool but has never swam at a beach before, a strong swimmer should accompany them. The waves, terrain, and currents of the ocean can be much harder to navigate than a pool.
#2. Choose the beaches with lifeguards.
Swimmers significantly lower their risk of drowning when there is a lifeguard on watch. Choose a family-friendly beach with lifeguards and tell all your friends and family to stay close to the lifeguard post, especially if the water is rough. You can even seek their advice about water conditions, sealife to watch for, and areas to avoid.
#3. Be Informed About Conditions at the Galveston Beaches you visit.
Most beaches have signs and flags at the entrance. Not sure what red, yellow, or purple flags mean? Check out an explanation here. If there’s a chance of lightning, keep an eye on the lifeguards for alerts or warning flags.
#4. Make Safe Choices.
Always enter the water feet first. Because the depth of water at beaches varies depending on the bottom terrain, you should never dive in unless you’ve surveyed a specific area. For water sports like surfing and bodysurfing, it’s always wise to take a buddy in case something unexpected happens.
Wondering what SPF means on sunscreen bottles? Read Hospitality Health ER’s blog to learn what those numbers  mean or read about some remedies for treating sunburns.
