‘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.

Buckeye, Arizona, September 13 —

Two of three children who were pulled unresponsive from a residential pool later died at the hospital. All of the children, ages 1,2, and 3, were taken to the hospital and two in critical condition died. The 1-year-old survived and the child’s condition was not released. An adult man was home at the time, and there was no fence around the pool.

Orange, Florida, September 15 —

A 6-year-old girl was pronounced deceased after she was found unresponsive in a neighbor’s swimming pool when she left the home undetected.

Little Rock, Arkansas, September 19 —

8-year-old Dewayne Kirk was found by police dead in an apartment swimming pool. The boy had been reported missing and had last been seen by his siblings near the pool.

Fort Worth Texas, September 20 —

A 2-year-old girl drowned in her backyard pool. She was taken to the hospital where she died.