Is it safe to go back into the pool? To the beach?
And, how can we keep our kiddos safe?
Our friends at the NCH Safe & Healthy Children’s Coalition recognize that multiple layers of protection are necessary to prevent drowning. They stress that NO single device or solution can prevent pediatric drownings. Parents, caregivers, aquatic facility owners, managers and operators should use “layers of protection” to provide a system of increased security to prevent unauthorized access to bodies of water, especially important for children. This means that multiple strategies or devices are used constantly and simultaneously.
Here is summer advice from NCH.
- Supervise
Never take your eyes off children in and around water.
There Is no substitute for active supervision! Actively supervise children in and around open bodies of water, giving them your undivided attention. When there are several adults present and children are swimming, use the Water Watcher card strategy, which designates an adult as the Water Watcher for a certain amount of time (such as 15-minute periods) to prevent lapses in supervision. If your child is missing, check nearby pools and other water areas first.
* Use Barriers
Fences, self-closing/self-latching gates and secured doors with alarms can prevent young children from wandering into the pool/canal/lake/pond. Check for broken or missing drain covers. Fences, self-closing/self-latching gates and secured doors with alarms can prevent young children from wandering into the pool/canal/lake.
* Learn to Swim
To stay safer in the water, all family members should learn to swim well. Teach children never swim alone, an adult must watch them in the pool/canal/lake. Young children and inexperienced swimmers need to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
NEVER leave a child alone around water. Remember, no one is drown proof, no matter how well they swim. The American Association of Pediatrics says children can safely take swim lessons as early as age 1.
- Know How to Respond
Get training in basic water rescue skills, first aid, and CPR. Have rescue equipment and a phone by the pool.
It’s silent, happens quickly and is 100% preventable: Florida has the highest overall unintentional drowning death rate for 1-4-year-olds, three times the national average. Enough children drown each year in Florida to fill three to four preschool classrooms and it CAN happen to you or a loved one. Drowning does not discriminate.
For more information about swimming and CPR programs in Collier County, please visit the NCH Safe & Healthy Children’s Coalition on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or WaterSmartCollier.com or call/e-mail us at 239.624-.4033 or Info@SafehealthyChildren.org.