This infographic is also posted on CPSC’s Flickr page for easy sharing.

Now that you found the perfect summer camp that meets your expectations, accreditation standards, and your child’s appetite for fun, wait before you exhale. Sunscreen and labeling your child’s clothes aren’t the only final items on your to-do list. Add some time to review safety with your happy campers before you send them on their adventure.

A good place to start is by looking at a list of the camp’s planned activities. If sports are involved, remember that many sports aren’t complete without helmets. Safety equipment and athletics go hand in hand. Therefore, if you don’t plan to pack a helmet, ask the camp if it supplies the right helmet for each activity. Here’s a helmet guide that gives you more information.

In addition, here are safety tips on different sports:

• Baseball
• Football
• Soccer
• Skateboarding

Given the hot days of summer, it’s likely that your camp will include swimming or some other water play. As you pack bathing suits, take a moment to go over pool and water safety with your child.

• If your child does not know how to swim, alert the camp. Find out if the camp gives swim lessons and register your child to take them. Learning to swim is a key first step in drowning prevention.
• Check to see if the camp has life jackets for activities on docks or boats. CDC calls them a “must.” They aren’t a substitute for supervision, but they do act as another barrier against drowning.
• For kids who already know how to swim, brush up on swim safety.
• Tell your child NOT to go to the pool without supervision from a camp counselor or an adult.

Are you packing a hoodie for some cool nights of outdoor camping? Look at the neck and waist for drawstrings and remove them. Drawstrings can catch or become tangled with objects, such as a car door or playground slide, causing an injury.

Enjoy your child’s camp send off with hugs, kisses and safety.

Tune up your bikes, and get riding!

Around the country this month, organizations are sponsoring Bike to School and Bike to Work days. It’s a great time to remind yourselves and your kids about bike safety.

Step 1: “Strap It On, Save a Life.” Having a helmet head is cool—and it protects your brain. Nearly 70 percent of all fatal bicycle crashes involve head injuries. Wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet can reduce the risk of a brain and head injury by as much as 85 percent.  Follow these tips to make sure your helmet is doing its job:

• When buying a helmet look for the label that reads “Complies with U.S. CPSC Safety Standards for Bicycle Helmets.”
• Tighten chin straps and adjust padding so the helmet feels snug, forms a V around the ears, and does not move up and down or side to side. Watch this video from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on how to put a helmet on correctly.

Step 2: Check your family’s bikes for safety.

• Make sure the tires have the proper amount of air.
• Adjust and tighten the seat and handlebars. Remember, kids grow!
• Check and adjust the brakes so your family’s riders can stop quickly.
• Consider taking bikes to a local bike shop for a tune up periodically.

Step 3: Be alert when riding.

• Ride on the right side of the road in a straight, predictable path.
• Children younger than 9 should not ride on roads. They don’t yet have the skills to identify and avoid dangerous situations.

Want to know more?  This bicycle safety page has brochures and posters to guide you to better bike riding safety.

Many Americans, both in the African-American community and elsewhere, are particularly excited about Cullen Jones and Lia Neal. Ebony Magazine calls Jones and Neal “two young Olympians poised to change what they say about African-Americans and swimming.”

Olympic swimmers, and even kids who compete in neighborhood swimming competitions, make the sport look so easy. We hope the Olympics is a conversation starter in your home as the Olympians inspire your children to learn how to swim. Do your best to teach your children not to fear the water. Pass on safety and fun at the same time. (See NBC’s Rock Center story on the importance of swimming.)

At home, we, as a nation, need more eyes on our much less experienced swimmers. All Olympic swimmers, from Jones to Phelps, from Neal to Lochte, have one thing in common with every child. At one time in their lives they didn’t know how to swim.

According to news reports, when Jones was 5 years old, he nearly drowned at a water park. (Source: Good Morning America/ABC) That’s when Jones started swimming lessons.

Lessons. They are a simple step that saves lives. They will help teach your child a life-saving skill: How to be safe around water. Use the Olympics as a conversation starter with your child about starting swimming lessons.

Between Memorial Day and July 17, at least 90 children younger than 15 were reported by media to have drowned in swimming pools. Another 106 children were sent to emergency rooms for nearly drowning. That’s about 2 children who died each day during that period.

Drowning is the leading cause of injury death for children ages 1 to 4. African-American children and young adults ages 5 to 19 die from drowning 6 times more often than their white peers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  And a USA Swimming/University of Memphis survey says that 70 percent of African-American and 60 percent of Hispanic/Latino children can’t swim.

Simple steps save lives.

• Stay within arm’s reach of children and non-swimmers at all times in and around the pool.
• Keep eyes on young children.
• Fence your pool with self-closing or self-latching gates.
• Assign a water watcher.
• Learn CPR.
• If a child is missing, check the pool first.

This week, pools and waterparks around the country are holding Pool Safely Days to help spread this message of safety. You can help, too. Post these buttons, badges and widget on your blogs, Facebook pages and websites. Put Pool Safely steps into play at your home. Teach them to your children and your neighbors.

Save a child’s life. Earn a gold medal in swimming safety.

What will the consequences mean for both you and your family?

When you ride, safety matters.

We’re concerned about the safety of your family. We’re not trying to take your ATVs away. We only want to make the riding experience safer so more riders stay alive and families stay together.

ATV safety matters because keeping you and your family safe matters.

About 700 people die every year in ATV-related accidents and another 136,000 go to hospital emergency rooms. Many of these injuries are life changing. So far this year, CPSC is aware of preliminary reports of 130 adults and 28 children under the age of 16 who have died in ATV-related incidents around the country. At least 14 adults and three children are reported to have died during Memorial Day weekend alone this year.

Every ATV rider in your family should take a hands-on training course taught by a certified instructor. Classes are offered by the ATV Safety Institute, local ATV rider groups, and some state departments of natural resources, state highway departments, and other agencies responsible for regulating ATV use. The National 4-H Council also sponsors educational seminars on safe riding for children and teenagers.

At CPSC, we know what can happen with ATVs, because for many years our staff has been investigating the ATV deaths reported to us.  We sit across from parents and grandparents who often say, “If I had only known.”

We believe there would be a dramatic decline in deaths and injuries if riders follow these rules in addition to taking a safety training course:

• Always wear a helmet and other protective gear.
• Do not carry any passengers on single-rider ATVs.
• Ride off-road, not on paved roads.
• Know the terrain.
• Keep children younger than 16 on youth ATVs and off adult ATVs.

Know ATV safety to keep everyone in your family, you included, safe on the trails and help curb the rise of ATV deaths and injuries that happen every summer.

The slide is specifically for in-ground pools. Here’s what it looks like:

A 29-year-old Colorado mother died after fracturing her neck going down this slide. She hit her head against the concrete edge of the pool when the slide partly deflated. CPSC and the firms recalling this slide are aware of two other serious injuries that have happened in a similar way:

• A 24-year-old man from Springfield, Mo., became a quadriplegic
• A woman from Allentown, Pa., fractured her neck.

About 21,000 of the slides were sold at Walmart and Toys R Us from January 2005 through June 2009 for about $250. During use, they can deflate. When this happens, the person on the slide can hit the ground underneath and become injured. The slide is also unstable and can topple over and has inadequate warnings and instructions.

The recalled slides are vinyl with a blue base, yellow sliding mat and an arch over the top of the slide. Hose water can be sprayed on the slide’s downward slope from a nozzle on the arch. The words “Banzai Splash” are printed in a circular blue, orange and white logo that is shaped like a wave on either side of the slide.

We urge you to stop using this slide immediately and return to Walmart or Toys R Us for a full refund.

For additional information, from Walmart, call (800) 925-6278 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.walmartstores.com. For additional information from Toys R Us, call (800) 869-7787 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday and between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, or visit the firm’s website at www.toysrus.com.

Portable pools are affordable, transportable, but can be just as dangerous as any other pool. CPSC has received an average of 35 reports of deaths of children under the age of 5 in portable pools each year. These pools account for 11 percent of all pool drownings for children that age. You can prevent these deaths.

If a portable pool, either large or small, is in your plans or already in your yard, put Pool Safely’s simple steps into play. Whether the pool is a small blow-up pool or a thousands-of-gallons type with rigid sides, portable pools are often left full of water and unsupervised. Just like in-ground pools, portables need barriers and fencing that keep unsupervised children out. Empty and store small portable pools when you are not using them. Cover larger ones.

Here are some general safety tips:

• Fence portable pools and encourage your neighbors to do the same.
• If you can’t fence the pool, use smaller, easier to store portable pools. Then, empty the water ANY time you are not supervising the pool and turn it upside down or store it away.
• NEVER leave a child unsupervised near any pool or spa.
• Cover larger pools and put ladders away when adults are not supervising or using the pool. When you buy the pool cover, ask at the store if it meets the latest standards.
• Install door alarms that will alert you when someone leaves the house and enters the pool or spa area.
• Teach children to swim, float and other life-saving basics. But do NOT consider young children “drown-proof” because they have had swimming lessons.

Simple steps save lives. Find more Pool Safely steps and safety videos at PoolSafely.gov.

These balls are a new type of water-related recreational activity. You’ll find them at your local fair and amusement parks, on lakes and at the mall.

Risks associated with the use of water walking balls include the potential for suffocation, drowning and impact injuries.

Before you jump in and try them out, be aware that this activity, called water walking, comes with potential risks of suffocation and drowning.

CPSC knows of two incidents involving these products. In one, a child was found unresponsive after being inside the ball for a short time. The child required medical attention. In another, a person inside a ball suffered a fracture when the ball fell out of a shallow, above-ground pool onto the hard ground.

Here’s what you should know:

• These balls are airtight. Because of this, carbon dioxide can accumulate inside the ball. High carbon dioxide and low oxygen levels … makes it very difficult to breathe. Such a dangerous scenario can occur in just a few minutes.
• Most balls have no emergency exit. They can be opened ONLY by a person outside the ball.
• These balls are not padded. This means that injuries can happen if the balls – and the people inside — collide with each other, strike hard objects like a pier or a buoy, or simply fall out of the pool onto concrete or another hard surface.

Before you take these risks – or let your child take these risks – understand that CPSC does not know of any safe way to use this product.

So far this year, six children, one teenager and nine adults – 16 people in all – have been reported to have drowned in the Phoenix area, according to AZFamily.com.

Moms, dads, folks of all ages: Just knowing some simple safety steps in and around the water can help prevent your child, your parent, or your loved one from drowning.

Here are some recent tragedies that have been reported in Phoenix along with ways that you can prevent these scenarios from happening to you:

What happened: A 2-year-old reportedly escaped the supervision of his parents and grandparents in their home through the doggy door. They looked for him for about 30 minutes before finding him in the backyard pool. The pool had very little water in it and the water was green. (Source: MyFoxPhoenix.com)

Prevention: Install a 4-foot tall fence with self-closing, self-latching gates around the entire perimeter of the pool. Urge neighbors with pools to do the same. Install door alarms on any door that leads to a backyard pool to alert you if your child leaves the house. If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool FIRST. Finally, install pool and gate alarms to alert you when children go near or enter the water.

What happened: A mother was reported to be supervising her 5-year-old son at the pool. He was horse playing and “possibly pretended to drown,” according to AZFamily.com. The mother jumped into the pool to help her son, but struggled herself because she couldn’t swim. The mother is in critical condition at the hospital. (Source: ABC15)

Prevention: If you don’t know how to swim, now is the time to learn. Swimming courses are available in local communities through a variety of public and nonprofit groups. Keep lifesaving equipment handy, including a telephone and tools that can be thrown into the pool. Some examples of these tools are a life ring or a reaching pole. Be sure to wear a Coast Guard approved life vest if you don’t know how to swim and are going into the water.  

What happened: A 3-year-old Mesa, Ariz., girl was reportedly swimming in the family pool with her six brothers and sisters, the oldest of whom was 14. The pool had a gate and appropriate safety precautions. When the six other children got out of the pool, the 3-year-old was found. She had drowned. She had been missing for 20 minutes. (Source: AZCentral.com)

Prevention: Adults rather than older siblings should supervise children in the pool at all times. One adult should serve as a “Water Watcher” whenever children are in the pool. Stay within arm’s reach of non-swimmers and step in to stop excessive horseplay. Regular headcounts can help you keep track of all the children who are in the water.

What happened: A 7-year-old girl was staying with her grandparents, who had an above-ground pool in their back yard. The girl reportedly moved a ladder to the pool, climbed it and drowned in the pool. Police say she was in the water for 20 minutes. (Source: AZCentral.com)

Prevention: Ladders for above ground pools should be stored out of reach of children. Above ground pools are just as attractive to children as in ground pools. Fencing in an above ground pool will help keep young children out.

Related: CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum in the Arizona Republic: Act to keep kids safe around water

I fully support the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” initiative, and I join her in encouraging America’s children to become more physically active as an essential element of a healthy lifestyle. Getting yourself and your children moving together is a fun way to enjoy quality time as a family. At the same time, you can prevent injuries by adding a few of the following simple safety steps to your family’s outdoor activities.

Swimming

Use as many proven water safety steps as possible to ensure a safe and fun experience. You never know which safety step might save a child’s life—until it does.

Stay close, be alert, and watch your child in and around the pool. Never leave a child unattended in a pool or spa and always watch your child when he or she is in or near water. Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim. Teach children basic water safety tips, like staying away from pool drains, pipes, and other openings to avoid entrapments. Learn to perform CPR on children and adults and update those skills regularly.

Bike Riding

What’s better than going for a bike ride? Just make sure you and your children wear properly fitted helmets every time you get on those bikes. Don’t forget that helmets aren’t just for children— they’re for adults, too. Wearing a properly fitted helmet can reduce the risk of a head injury by 85 percent!

Wear helmets low on the forehead—two finger widths above the eyebrows. Place the helmet evenly between the ears. It should be sitting flat on the head. Tighten the chin strap and adjust the inside pads so the helmet is snug. The helmet should not move up and down or from side to side.

When riding on the road, be alert. Children under nine years old should not ride on roadways, as they do not yet have the skills to identify and avoid dangerous situations. Also, young children should not ride at night.

Scooters

Children are involved in thousands of scooter related injuries each year. It is best to keep your scooter on a smooth surface, so make sure children always ride the scooter on a sidewalk or a paved path. They should only ride during the day, wear a helmet and elbow and knee pads always, and stay away from cars or other vehicles.

Playgrounds

Supervision is important when your children play on playground equipment —regardless of whether they are in your backyard or at a neighborhood park. Even better than watching them play is to join them. It’s great exercise for all of you!

If you install playground equipment in your yard, use this simple checklist to make sure it is safe:

• make sure there is shock-absorbing material under the play set as falls are the biggest risk to children on the playground,
• make sure children’s clothing is not loose and does not have any loose strings that can catch on equipment before your child plays on playground equipment, and
• remove any necklaces that could catch on the playground equipment and strangle your child.

Soccer

Goal! That’s what children and parents alike want to see on the soccer field. Just be careful with the goal itself. Do not let children climb on goals or hang on the crossbar because there have been many injuries and some tragic deaths when heavy soccer goals have tipped over and pinned children. Always use extreme caution when moving goals. CPSC recommends that soccer coaches, school officials, and soccer field maintenance personnel anchor goals to the ground so they do not fall over and cause a serious injury or death.

Baseball

Batter up! Batters should wear a batting helmet with a face guard. You can prevent sliding injuries by using safety release bases that do not leave holes in the ground or parts of the base sticking up from the ground when the base is released. Now play ball!

Let’s Move! As summer approaches, I urge you and your family to get active and move safely!