‘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.
West Warwick, Rhode Island, September 19 —
A 5-year-old boy who was pulled unresponsive from a swimming pool was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Harris County, Texas, September 23 —
3-year-old Dillan Walker was reported missing by his grandmother before he was found in a swimming pool. The neighborhood was searched for 30 minutes when someone noticed bubbles in the pool. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Hillsborough, Florida, September 26 —
A 4-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool
when he got out of the home undetected while the family was visiting as a friend’s home.
Hillsborough, Florida, September 29 —
A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased 11 days after he was found unresponsive in the aboveground swimming pool when he was left unattended on the porch for a brief period of time.
Vanderbourgh County, Indiana, September 29 —
A 2-year-old boy died at the hospital five days after being found not breathing in an above-ground pool by his father. The boy was taken off life support after it was determined he could not survive.
Chandler, Arizona, October 10 —
A 2-year-old boy was found by his parents in the family pool. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
