Tips for summer beach safety

WATCH OUT FOR WAVES-Children ages five to 15 enjoy safe summer fun and learn water safety basics at Aloha Beach camp. There's nothing better than a day at the beach. The sun, the surf . . .what could be more fun?

However, no environment is risk-free. The ocean is powerful and unpredictable, and without the proper safety precautions our local beaches can be dangerous. You and your family should enjoy the beach this summer, but always with the utmost safety and caution.

If you're a parent, please review the following information with your kids before you visit the beach.

Learn to swim

The ocean is powerful and can be difficult to navigate. Don't enter the ocean unless you know how to swim. Similarly, never rely on flotation devices such as rafts or boogie boards in place of actual swimming ability. If you fall off the flotation device but do not know how to swim, you could panic and have difficulty retrieving your flotation device. Drownings can happen this way.

Swim near a lifeguard

The numbers don't lie. According to the United States Lifeguarding Association, the odds of drowning at a public beach are nearly five times as great without lifeguard supervision. The risk of drowning at a lifeguard-protected beach is nearly nonexistent--18 million to 1. Always swim near an open lifeguard tower. No lifeguard? No swimming!

Protect your

head and neck

Never dive into the ocean headfirst It's a leading cause of head and neck injuries. Always enter the ocean feet first, and when you are boogie and body boarding, keep your hands out in front to protect your head and neck.

Never swim alone

Safety in numbers? Yes. Always swim with a buddy and never swim alone, because many drownings involve single swimmers. If you ever get lost or separated from your buddy, tell the lifeguard immediately. Obey all posted warning

signs and flags

Signs and flags alert you to ocean safety conditions. For clarification about what they mean, ask a lifeguard. Try not to turn your back

on the ocean

Even the smallest wave can knock you over and cause injury, especially if you're caught by surprise.

Learn about rip currents

Ever notice that "muddy" ocean water appearance flowing away from the shore? Chances are, that's a rip current. Most lifeguard rescues are due to people getting caught in rip currents. Even the strongest swimmers get caught in them. To get out of a rip current, do not fight the current by trying to swim to shore. Instead, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current. Then you can swim safely back to the beach.

Beware of glass in the sand

Your bare feet are perfect targets for broken glass and other trash on the beach. Walk gingerly and beware of these and other hazards. It's best to keep your shoes on while walking between your car and the area of the beach you set up.

Don't forget the sunscreen

It should be applied several times during your day at the beach, especially after spending time in the water.

Eric Naftulin is owner and founder of Aloha Beach Camp, www.alohabeachcamp.com, a high-action summer beach camp for youth ages 8 to 15 and the first summer beach camp in Los An- geles for children ages 5 to 7.