LAFAYETTE, La. — Arm floaties and puddle jumpers are common sights at pools, but swim safety experts say some flotation devices can do more harm than good.
Lyndsey Clavier, site supervisor at Crawfish Aquatics, said no flotation device offers guaranteed protection — and that assuming otherwise can lead to reduced parental supervision.
"They're not guaranteed safety, and when parents assume that these devices are gonna work 100% of the time, parent supervision kind of slacks off a little bit, and you're kind of setting yourself up for potential things to happen that are life-threatening," Clavier said.
What experts recommend
Micah Nicholas, executive director of the American Red Cross Capital West Chapter, said preventing unsupervised swimming is a priority and that families should pursue both swim training and CPR certification.
"We want to make sure that we're preventing this unsupervised swimming but also making sure that someone in your family not only has swim training but also CPR training," Nicholas said.
Clavier said parents who use flotation devices should avoid armbands and puddle jumpers and instead choose a U.S. Coast Guard-certified lifejacket.
"If you have to wear a flotation device, we always recommend something that is certified by [...] the U.S. Coast Guard, so you don't want anything that you're gonna pick up for $1 that's Saran wrapped, vacuum sealed, that's inflatable, that's not gonna help your child if they're in a dangerous situation," Clavier said.
'Touch supervision' is the best practice
Clavier said the best approach in the water is touch supervision — staying within arm's reach — and using flotation devices only when walking to or from the pool. Once in the water, children should be encouraged to practice swimming independently.
"The worst thing that those flotation devices do for everyone is create a false sense of security, so you want your kids to know that they have limits; you want them to understand they are not swimmers," Clavier said.
