Water Safety

Did You Know...

Drownings are the leading cause of death among children 1-4 years of age, the second leading among children 5-14 years of age and third leading cause for children under 1 and older teens ages 15-17.
In 2018, 27 kids under the age of 17 died as result of drownings.
Children less than a year old, are more likely to drown at home in the bathroom or in a bucket.
1-4 year old children are more likely to drown in a pool.
Children 5 years and older are more likely to drown in natural waters, such as ponds, lakes and rivers.
Drowning is silent. In real life, there can be very little splashing, waving or screaming.
Drowning is quick. The reality is that once a child begins to struggle, parents may have less than a minute to react.
Isolation fencing provides an extra layer of protection. Most young children who drown in home pools, accessed the pool when a parent wasn’t watching.
Two-thirds of fatal drownings occur between May and August.

Watch kids when they are in or around water, without being distracted.
Teach kids to swim as well as the five water survival skills which are:
- Step or jump into water over their heads;
- Return to the surface and float or tread water for one minute;
- Turn around in a full circle and find an exit from the water;
- Swim 25 yards to the exit;
- Exit from the water. If in a pool, be able to exit without using the ladder.
Learn CPR and basic rescue skills.
Make sure pools have four-sided fencing at least 4 feet high.
Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults. Many communities offer online CPR training.
Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.