Water Safety 101!

 The last thing anyone wants to feel is the heartbreak of finding someone you love laying

lifeless in the water. Especially a child, don’t picture it…. really, don’t. Instead, with just a

few simple tasks, you will never experience this grief, or regret. This will be time well

spent. So, let’s look at drowning prevention and water safety.

I worked for years as an emergency room nurse, and was working one Saturday, when

an ambulance arrived, with a little curly wet head on the

stretcher. The medics were performing CPR on his little body.

The medics were called by a frantic parent who had just

answered the phone, no more than 30 seconds – a minute,

how could this happen? But you see, that is all it takes, as few

as seconds. I wish this were my only story, but this one struck

home, because this child belonged to one of the ER doctors.

According to the CDC, drowning is the #1 cause of

unintentional death for children between the ages of 1- 4 in

the United States. It is also ranked 3 rd for kids between 5-19.

Worldwide over 300,000 people drown every year.

The youngest tend to drown in the smallest things like

buckets or bathtubs, in the smallest amounts of water. As they become more mobile,

progress to swimming pools, hot tubs,

spas, lakes, streams, oceans – areas that

are not well supervised. They wander out

unexpectedly – anyone with a 2-year-old

knows how quickly they can disappear.

Pools without barriers or alarms are often

the places where more mobile children

drown. Something as simple as

distractions from being on the phone,

reading a book, or having a conversation

with someone else, can be all time it takes. And drowning is silent, so there is no

warning that the child has stumbled into harm’s way. We will be looking at some

prevention actions to take to help prevent drowning for your family- before the peak

swimming season arrives in the late spring and summer months for most of the country.

Children are not alone in this drowning risk. We as adults are

susceptible as well. A few major reasons for adults are the

inability to swim well, drinking alcohol or drug use while on the

water, which impairs your judgement, or carelessness in not

taking safety measures. Taking risks, or swimming in water that

is unfamiliar – not knowing how strong the currents are, or the

depth and hidden objects underwater cause unforeseen

dangers. Most drowning in adults happens in open waters like

lakes, oceans, and streams because this is where fishing,

diving, boating and other recreational activities take place.

What Happens? How Do You Drown in Seconds to Minutes?

When you breathe in water, you suffocate, and it does not take long for the oxygen level

in your body to diminish so fast that you lose the ability to think clearly. At first there is a

fight to find air, but that quickly leads to not being able to fight any longer, and your body

keeps breathing in water.

Lack of oxygen causes brain damage, and

ultimately, for the heart to stop. This lack of

oxygen causes poor judgement and responses,

and so quick thinking and action in rescuing is so

important, Learn CPR.

Several other things can contribute to the time

it takes to drown. The length of time

submerged, the smaller the person, or the

weaker physically, the more quickly it happens.

The temperature of the water – the colder the

water, the better chances you have of survival.

How to Make Swimming Safer? What Steps Can be Taken?

A closer look at the simple steps that can be taken to prevent stories like the one above

is contained in this blog. Learn the ways to easily make your home or wherever you

swim a safer place and take measures to be proactive in the prevention of drowning.

Supervising all the time! Never leave a child unattended – ever. Don’t take your eyes

off children in a pool, or while swimming, or playing near

water – even when there are lifeguards present. If you are

talking to someone, one of you should have eyes on the pool.

Keep your phone nearby and never read emails or scroll

social media with children near the water. Reading that text

message or post is all it could take! If at a party, designate a

water watcher, or “lifeguard” of the party – take turns. Just

always keep your eyes open!

Swimming Lessons for Everyone! Beginning at an

early age it is especially important to make swimming

lessons from a qualified instructor a priority. The

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says children

should start formal swimming lessons as young as 1

year old. This can help decrease the risk of drowning by

as much as 88% for children. This may seem young, but

they really do well and are easy to teach and become

good little swimmers! Teaching them to tread water and

float also increases safety around water. Also make sure

that kids know the pool safety features like depth

markers, and pool rules.

Children are not alone! All adults in the crowd should also either dust off their swimming

skills or take lessons as well if not proficient. If you can’t swim, you can’t go to the aid of

someone, especially a child, in distress.

Find swimming lessons in your area:‎

 Swimming | Swim Classes & Training | Red Cross

 Find Your Y | YMCA of the USA

 Home - USSSA

 USA Swimming | Learn to Swim

The best life jacket is one that fits, is easily on hand, and that you will use. The basic

style is designed to keep your head above water so you can breathe, even when hurt or

tired.

There are some things to know about them from the USCG

(U.S. Coast Guard) they should be:

 The right size for the person/child, Check the label for

recommended weight and chest size. A good fit is

secure, comfortable, and adjustable.

 Make sure it is in good condition.

Child Lifejacket Requirements for Boating:

 Federal Law requires that when a vessel is

underway, children under 13 years of age must

wear their life jacket.

o exceptions for when below deck or within an

enclosed cabin.

 Check with your state boating safety rules, there are

some differences. 

To keep children from getting into the pool or hot tub

without permission, put a fence around it. They

should be 4 ft high 5 ft is better), with no bigger than

4” between slots. Make sure the gates close by

themselves, swing away from the pool area, and lock

automatically.

Put alarms on the doors that lead to the pool or hot

tub area. Also, put alarms in the pool that will make a

noise if someone gets in without permission.

We have looked at the basics for water safety in

prevention of drowning, especially for children. Swimming lessons, barriers, alarms,

water awareness and use of USCG approved devices. The importance of being aware

of the water area at all times! Below are some apps that can help or to have fun with

when learning about water safety Let’s all play hard and keep safe!

Some mobile apps to use for water safety:

 Safeswim – Level of risk for specific locations

 Swim by the American Red Cross – All things water safety

 Water Safety Challenge – Learning tool for children

References:

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/143/5/e20190850/37134/Prevention-of-

Drowning?autologincheck=redirected

https://www.cdc.gov/drowning/prevention/index.html

https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr/cpr-training/cpr-certification

Drowning (who.int)

https://www.onlinecprcertification.net/blog/the-science-of-drowning-what-happens-to-

the-body-

underwater/#:~:text=How%20Long%20Does%20it%20take,water%20and%20resuscitat

ion%20efforts%20begin.

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGSqoZrAfY/GgW2cutQxqmpVChJg2naAQ/edit

https://www.sunsationalswimschool.com/blog/at-what-age-should-my-child-start-

swimming-

lessons#:~:text=The%20American%20Academy%20of%20Pediatrics%20(AAP)%20rec

ommends,of%20drowning%20by%20as%20much%20as%2088%.

Association Between Swimming Lessons and Drowning in Childhood - PMC (nih.gov)

https://uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/life-jacket-wear-wearing-your-life-jacket.php