Drownings are preventable with education and vigilance!
That is a very bold statement to make. But it is true if we as parents take the time to teach our kids to swim and learn water safety from an early age the risk of drowning is greatly reduced. If we then make it a rule that our kids never swim without a parent on the deck or in the water watching (the lifeguard is a back up you are the primary) the risk of drowning is greatly reduced. At the pool, the lake, the ocean turn the phone off, your whole attention should be on your children, nothing is more important! In a report from the CPSC: From Memorial Day through Labor Day 2013, at least 202 children between the ages of 1 and 14 drowned in a swimming pool or spa in the United States, according to media reports compiled by the USA Swimming Foundation. Of those, 143 of the victims were children younger than age 5. In Illinois, there were seven drownings in 2013 eleven in 2014! Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old. And it’s the third leading cause of death among children.
Drowning Prevention and Education starts at home;
Your toddler can learn to swim at 3 months of age. British Swim School owner, Rita Goldberg, has worked continuously to develop, improve and fine-tune these methods resulting in the ability to teach even the youngest of babies to roll over on their backs to float. (This is just one of the many swim school available). In swim classes not only do the children get comfortable in the water but more importantly you the parent get an education. Take CPR classes it is a good skill to know and will give you a powerful tool should something bad happen, who knows you may even save someone else’s child. Make sure all gates and doors to the pool are locked and alarmed. The locks should be at least 48″ off the ground and have a key lock built in. Follow this link for information on self-closing self-locking gates and doors. Aquajoy Spa And Pool can provide you with advice and product to ensure your pool is safely locked up. Check the fence around the pool or yard often. It is the safety belt (you wouldn’t let your kids ride in the car without it) for your kids and others!
Laws and regulations enacted to address water safety often concentrate on swimming pool regulations and personal flotation device mandates. For example, the Virginia Graeme Baker Act requires anti-entrapment drain covers on pools and spas. According to the National Conference of State Legislators, at least 12 states have laws related to swimming pool safety, which may include: certified lifeguards on duty, fences, alarms, safety covers, light fixture requirements, and safe spa and pool drain standards. All of this is a secondary protection to a parents vigilance!
Drowning Prevention information and links;
Type in Child drowning in your browser, the net is full of great sites. The CPSC is a good start for information and statistics. The Red Cross for classes in lifeguarding and CPR. Aquajoy Spa And Pool recommends Drowning Prevention Foundation for more information and great links for further education. More statistics and facts can be found at Pool Safety.gov!
Are you close?
Drownings are preventable;
Your pool, the city pool, the beach or lake, are going to be some of the best memories your kids will have. Nothing beats jumping into the water on a hot summer day! With a little education and a quick check of the surroundings, you will find that you enjoy it as much as the kids. And your vigilance and care will make Child Drownings very preventable.
This is a heavy topic but the following link is light and fun. Funny Dads Competing About Pool Safety
Aquajoy Spa and Pool take water safety very seriously. If you need help securing your pool call us at (630) 774 4515. We will be glad to help. Water is fun, trust me I am a pool guy!
Aquajoy Spa and Pool is not affiliated with any of the linked sites on this page. The information they provide make them worthy of a mention.
