Drowning matters every day, not just every May

‘NOT ON MY WATCH’

Drowning injuries and fatalities are so commonplace that the stories could fill up whole newspapers.

The CDC estimates that about 10 people die from drowning in the U. S. every day.

Children ages 1 through 4 have the highest drowning rates and most of those drownings happen in home swimming pools.

Drowning events are real, tragic, frequently preventable, and much more than just statistics.

There are measures that service technicians can take to promote drowning awareness.

Speak to parents about removing toys and other temptations from the pool area. Encourage parents to learn about layers of protection: pool covers, gates and alarms. Remind parents there is no substitution for total supervision around the pool area.

Service professionals are in peoples’ backyards every day, and in a unique position to point out danger areas, but may not do so unless the drowning problem is brought home to them.

To that end, the following is a description of just some of the drowning incidents that have recently occurred.

Titusville, Florida, February 13 —

23-month-old Athena Blevins was found unresponsive in a swimming pool by her mother’s roommate. She was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police said the child’s mother and boyfriend were asleep and did not wake up until paramedics arrived. Police arrested the mother and her boyfriend, charging them with aggravated manslaughter.

Beech Island, South Carolina, February 13 —

5-year-old Riggs Lindsay died a week after he was pulled from a pool by his aunt.

His grandmother administered CPR while waiting for paramedics. He was unresponsive when transported to the hospital.

Pembroke Pines, Florida, February 16 —

A 1-year-old girl drowned in her family’s swimming pool. She was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, February 17 —

A 77-year-old man in Calcasieu Parish drowned after slipping on ice and falling in a swimming pool.

Riverton, Utah, February 17 —

A man in his 30s died after drowning in a hot tub. A family member who is a nurse and registered EMT began CPR after noticing the man was unconscious.

Liberty County, Texas, February 22 —

A 1-year-old girl who had been reported missing was found in her neighbor’s above-ground swimming pool.

Child Protective Services responded to assist in the investigation because the parents had another child drown in 2015.

The parents were arrested and charged with interfering with public duties and also with resisting arrest.