Pool drowning

According to a 1998 study by the National Center for Health Statistics, 4,406 people drowned that year, including 1,003 children younger than 15 years old. Drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death for children aged one through 14. Most of these children drown in swimming pools.

How can you help prevent pool drowning?

Here are some safety tips:

• Whenever young children are swimming, playing, or bathing in water, make sure an adult is constantly watching them. By definition this means that the supervising adult should not read, play cards, talk on the phone, mow the lawn, or do any other distracting activity while watching children.

• Never swim alone or in unsupervised places. Teach children to always swim with a buddy.

• Keep small children away from buckets containing liquid: 5-gallon industrial containers are a particular danger. Be sure to empty buckets when household chores are done.

• Never drink alcohol during or just before swimming, boating, or water skiing. Never drink alcohol while supervising children. Teach teenagers about the danger of drinking alcohol and swimming, boating, or water skiing.

• To prevent choking, never chew gum or eat while swimming, diving, or playing in water.

• Learn to swim. Enroll yourself and/or your children aged 4 and older in swimming classes. Swimming classes are not recommended for children under age 4.

• Learn CPR (cardio-pulmonary resusitation). This is particularly important for pool owners and individuals who regularly participate in water recreation.

• Do NOT use air-filled swimming aids (such as "water wings") in place of life jackets or life preservers with children. These can give parents and children a false sense of security and increase the risk of drowning.

• Check the water depth before entering. The American Red Cross recommends 9 feet as a minimum depth for diving or jumping.

• If you have a swimming pool at your home:
  • Install a four-sided, isolation pool-fence with self-closing and self-latching gates around the pool. The fence should be at least 4 feet tall and completely separate the pool from the house and play area of the yard.
  • Prevent children from having direct access to a swimming pool.
  • Install a telephone near the pool. Know how to contact local emergency medical services.
  • Post the emergency number, 911, in an easy-to-see place.
  • Learn CPR.

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What Color Is Your Swimming Pool?
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