Welcome to the Kitsap County Medical Society Website
Introducing the Kitsap County Medical Society's newest charitable endeavor:
"Kitsap County Safe Swimmers Project"
Every year we lose Kitsap County residents to drowning at our area lakes. Many of these tragic cases could have been avoided with some added safety measures. The Kitsap County Medical Society is partnering with Safe Kids Coalition to bring water safety back to our area lakes. We plan to start with re-stocking the Life-Jacket Rental Board at Horseshoe Lake in Port Orchard and building a new Life-Jacket Rental Board and stocking it with life-jackets at Wildcat Lake in memory of young Trenten Morris who drowned at Wildcat Lake, July 2009. The KCMS and Safe Kids Coalition is also looking into bringing life-guards back to our lakes for our summer months and also looking into "water safety training" specific to lakes and oceans. Due to County budget cuts we have not had any life-guards at Kitsap lakes for three years!
To help with this project or if you are interested in joining the committee please contact Rebecca Carlson at the Kitsap County Medical Society office at (360) 689-2928.
Swimming is a great source of fun and exercise, but when in the water you need to make smart choices to stay safe:
Safe Swimming Tips:
| 1. | Adult Supervision One set of eyes on the swimmer at all times |
| 2. | Kids Don't Float Please use floatation devices and always where a life-jacket when in a boat or on a dock |
| 3. | Listen to your body If you are starting to feel tired or cold it is time to get out of the water |
| 4. | Never jump or dive into water you are not familiar with. The depth could be shallow and cause serious injury or death |
| 5. | Know the water! Rivers and Oceans have tides, currents, wave-born debris and varying depths |
| 6. | Never swim after the consumption of drugs or alcohol, you put yourself and others at risk! |
| 7. | Teens like to show off in front of their peers. Rough play and dunking in the water can make you very tired, or even consume water. A teen might be too embarrassed to tell their friends to stop. Know your limits and try not to engage in play that might lead to something unsafe. This also goes hand in hand with adult supervision watching swimmers at all times. |
| 8. | Kids - Don't be part of the problem! Pressuring your friends to push the limits of their swimming ability could result in a disaster for all involved. Be there for your friends and stay safe while having fun! |