Be your own lifeguard this holiday weekend … and beyond

School’s in, but being around water’s definitely not out of season yet. Not with Labor Day falling so late on the calendar this year and the pre-holiday warmup weekend starting . . heck, any moment now.

If you’re going to be enjoying one or two last swan songs around backyard pools, lakes or beaches in the coming days, you really need to brush up on your Water Safety Wisdom. It can take less than a minute for someone to drown — yes, really — and you may be surprised how it frequently occurs (with almost no perceptible calling out or thrashing around), where (even an unattended bucket has to be watched around wee ones) and to which gender most (one guess).

The American Red Cross says 63 percent of people will swim somewhere without a lifeguard on duty; that's why it's more important than ever for you to Be Your Own Lifeguard and learn how to keep yourself and others safe. You can find out how by taking our Water Safety Wisdom Level quiz here.