‘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.
Medina, Ohio, May 22 — 2-year-old Everly Mowry was in critical condition following a drowning incident in her backyard pool. Police believe the girl was in the water for about five minutes before she was pulled out, unconscious.
Tempe, Arizona, May 23 — A 3-year-old girl was in critical condition after she was pulled from an apartment complex pool.
Burnsville, Minnesota, May 26 — 5-year-old Ilyaas Said drowned in an apartment pool and died that evening in the hospital.
Nashville, Tennessee, May 25 — A 12-year-old boy died at the hospital after being pulled from an apartment complex pool where he did not live. A couple of other children spotted him and pulled him from the water and a security guard performed CPR.
Osceola, Florida, May 28 — A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased the day after she was found unresponsive in the swimming pool at the Air B& B where the family was vacationing from out of state.
Polk, Florida, May 28 — A 1 1/ 2- year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected.
Osceola, Florida, May 29 — A 1-year-old child was pronounced deceased 3 days after he was found at the bottom of a swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected while in the care of a relative.
Lake, Florida, May 30 — A 4-year-old child was pronounced deceased 4 days after he was found unresponsive in the apartment complex swimming pool where he, his sibling and mother were swimming.
Osceola, Florida, May 30 — A 4-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool at the vacation home where the family was staying from out of state. The incident occurred when the child got out of the home undetected.
Greenwood, Arkansas, May 30 — 9-year-old Kayleigh Strong died after drowning in her family’s pool. The girl was autistic and non-verbal.
Columbus, Ohio, June 4 — A pair of siblings drowned in a partially-filled home pool police described as unsafe for swimming with leaves, algae and muck. 2-yearold Prince Deer and 4-year-old Victoria Deer had been playing near the pool when they fell in. First responders found the children unresponsive and they were taken to area hospitals where they both died within an hour.
Kansas City, Kansas, June 5 — A 13-year-old boy was in critical condition after a drowning incident at a public pool. The boy and his friends jumped a fence to get into the pool area, which is closed this summer due to the lifeguard shortage. Residents believe the pool should have been drained with the planned closure.
North Mankato, Minnesota, June 5 — 9-yearold Abdirahman Abdullahi drowned in the pool at the Spring Lake Park Swim Facility in about 4.5 feet of water. Lifeguards had begun CPR until paramedics arrived and took the boy to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Sarasota, Florida, June 5 — 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 at a party at a relative’s home.
Escambia, Florida, June 6 — A 4-year-old child was pronounced deceased three days after he was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 7 — A 3-year-old boy who was found unconscious in his family’s pool died at the hospital.
Clay, Florida, June 7 — A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 8 — A 12-yearold boy died in the hospital days after being spotted at the bottom of a pool in the closed North Commons Water Park. A witness saw the boy and called 911 and police started CPR until paramedics arrived. Police believe he climbed a fence to access the area.
