FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – With school out for the summer and temperatures rising across the country, many families will be visiting the local beach, lake or pool. Now is the time to review safety tips to keep children safe around water.
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 5 to 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In the United States, 973 children under the age of 19 drowned in 2021 and another 6,500 were treated in emergency rooms after near-drowning incidents, according to Gary Karton of Safe Kids Worldwide, a nonprofit that works to prevent injuries. children.
In fact, more drownings occur in the summer, and specifically in July, than any other time of year, according to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue lifeguard Daniel Barnickel said there should always be an adult monitoring the water.
“As a whole, never swim alone,” he said.
Taking time to review safety procedures and rules before heading to the pool or beach can benefit both children and their parents.
The most important safety feature of a backyard pool is a barrier, such as a security fence, to prevent unsupervised access to the water.
Many children who drowned at home did so at times when they were not expected to be in the water, according to the American Red Cross. In some cases, children were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents when they slipped into the pool and drowned, the agency said.
That being said, it is vital to ensure that children learn to swim. There are many programs that teach children to swim, including Red Cross swimming courses in the USA.
If a child goes missing, remember that seconds count. Check the water first, safety experts advise. It is also important to have adequate equipment available at home. This includes something to throw into the water for the child to grab, a cell phone to call for help, life jackets and a first aid kit.
All children should learn to step or jump into water that is above their heads and return safely to the surface and also be able to float or walk in water, according to Safe Kids Worldwide.
They must also be able to quickly turn around in the water and find a safe spot, combine breathing with moving forward in the water, and exit the water.
If several adults are at the pool, beach, or lake with a group of children, choose a water watcher who can keep an eye on the children at all times. It’s a great idea to rotate the water watcher between adults for brief periods of time, such as 15-minute intervals, recommend the experts at Safe Kids Worldwide.
While in the pool or near water, it is advisable to avoid distractions. Put away phones, books and magazines, as drowning is usually silent and can happen in less than five minutes.
When you’re done swimming, be sure to remove all floats and toys from the pool so children aren’t enticed to reach for them.
Teach children to stay away from pool drains or suction devices, which can trap swimmers’ hair or limbs.
Since 2014, all public pools and spas in the US have been required to comply with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act, named after a 7-year-old girl who died after being caught in the strong suction of a hot tub drain in 2002. Her mother lobbied Congress to require drain covers and other safety features for pools.
But even with these safety features, experts say it’s good practice to check drains and devices before kids get into the pool.
Always swim with a friend or in an area supervised by a lifeguard.
“Make sure you don’t overestimate your abilities,” Barnickel said. “Know your limits.”
Have young or inexperienced children wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets. The size of the life jacket should be based on the child’s height and weight. Never substitute arm floats or inflatable swim rings for life jackets.
The best practice is to always keep children within arm’s reach of an adult when in the water and teach them to always ask permission to go near the water.
Enforce safety rules, including not running or pushing on the pool deck and not immersing people in the water. It’s also a good idea to prevent them from chewing gum or eating while swimming or jumping in the water.
Experts also recommend that children know the depth of the water so they don’t dive into the shallow end and get hurt.
Open water, like the ocean or a lake, is very different from a backyard pool.
Children need to understand that there may be limited visibility and uneven surfaces in the ocean and lakes. They also need to be taught about currents and undertow, which can pull them underwater and away from shore.
“Year after year in South Florida, rip currents claim more lives than all weather-related hazards combined,” Barnickel said. “We saw locals here who have been to the beach all their lives and have never been caught in a rip current, or they think they have been and know what to do. And they will be pulled into a current. We go out and catch them, and they say, ‘I can’t believe that happened.'”
When at a beach or lake, it is important to use designated areas for swimming or recreation. Pay attention to signs about the dangers of the water, as well as the times when lifeguards will be present.
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