Staying Afloat
By Mark Loehrke
Appears in the July 2025 issue.
Water safety is serious business
For visitors to Naperville’s iconic Centennial Beach, the biggest challenge on a typical summer day might be keeping the kids sunscreened or trying to eat a SpongeBob ice cream treat before his happy face melts away. But for aquatics manager Brett Sprague and his staff, the top priority is and always will be the safety of the thousands of beachgoers splashing about in the quarry’s more than 6 million gallons of water.
It’s that intense focus that makes Sprague a great resource for tips on water safety, whether at Centennial Beach or any other aquatic playground, natural or human-made. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you head out to the lake, pond, or pool.
Keep an eye on the kids
Sprague says the most important safety tip is for adults to closely supervise young children and less experienced swimmers. To that end, he recommends frequent breaks from activities to check in with your group to ensure everyone is accounted for and well hydrated. “One of the easiest signs to monitor is energy levels in kids,” he explains. “If you notice they’re swimming more slowly than when they started the day, it’s probably time for a break. Redirect them to a nonswimming activity like playing in the sand or move them into a shallower portion of the water.”
Don’t get in over your head
One of the key ways Sprague and his staff prevent safety issues at Centennial is by strictly enforcing the facility’s rules and policies regarding swimming in the deep end, which reaches depths of up to 15 feet in some spots. Namely, anybody who has not yet graduated from eighth grade who wants to swim in the deep end is required to take a deep-water skill test, which is administered daily by lifeguards. Regardless of your age, it’s a good reminder to know your limits as a swimmer.
Getting out of trouble
While lifeguards are trained to spot signs of distress and react quickly, Sprague says swimmers who are struggling in the water also can help themselves by trying to alert someone around them that they need assistance, by treading water, or by floating on their back to keep their airway above the water. “It’s important to conserve your energy and remain calm,” he adds.
Don’t overdo it
While the Centennial Beach lifeguard crew regularly responds to a variety of first-aid situations—many of which involve minor cuts, scrapes, and bloody noses—they also frequently deal with more serious situations involving visitors who are experiencing heat exhaustion or cramping. “Heat-related illness is largely preventable by simply taking breaks from swimming and sunning and staying well hydrated throughout the day,” Sprague says.
Water Smarts
A few words of wisdom from the American Red Cross
• Know your limitations, including swimming skills, physical fitness, and any medical conditions.
• Never swim alone. Swim near lifeguards, if possible.
• Wear a properly fitted life jacket when boating.
• Swim and boat sober.
• Know the unique risks of your environment: river and rip currents, water temperature, and underwater hazards, etc.
• Monitor children.
• Know how to identify the signs of drowning: floundering, flailing, head low in the water, gasping, confusion, and quiet struggling.
• Understand ways to safely assist a drowning person—especially “reach or throw, don’t go,” which refers to throwing a line or ring for the person the grab instead of going in after them.
• Learn CPR and first aid.
Photo: Jen Banowetz (Centennial Beach); istock (illustration)
