‘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.
Tothatend,thefollowingisadescriptionofjustsome ofthedrowningincidentsthathaverecentlyoccurred.
Lubbock, Texas, March 14 —
A child is dead after being found unresponsive in a hotel pool. The child was taken to the hospital and pronounced deceased.
Jefferson County, Alabama, March 15 —
2-year-old Annie Montgomery was pronounced dead two days after falling into her family’s swimming pool. First responders gave her CPR at the scene and she was rushed to the hospital where she remained in critical condition until her death.
Osceola County, Florida, March 16 —
A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected while in the care of his father.
Miami-Dade, Florida, March 19 —
A 6-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the neighbor’s swimming pool when he wandered away while playing outside with his younger sibling.
Marion County, Florida, March 23 —
A1 1/2-year-old child was pronounced deceased eight days after she was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when she got out of the home undetected.
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, March 26 —
4-year-old Aanay Sojitra was found by a family member at the bottom of a pool at a vacation rental. The boy died two days later.
New Bedford, Massachusetts, March 26 —
A 3-year-old girl was injured when she fell into a neighborhood pool. Her parents performed CPR but she was in cardiac arrest. Her condition is unknown.
Cedar Hill, Texas, March 29 —
A child who went missing from a Cedar Hill home was found dead Monday afternoon in a backyard swimming pool. Authorities believe the drowning was an accident.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, April 3 —
A woman is in critical condition after firefighters rescued her from drowning at a residential swimming pool. Firefighters pulled her from the pool and performed CPR on her. No other details were provided.
