‘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 the 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.

Hollywood, Florida February 24 —

41-year-old Jean Fontus, his 5-year-old daughter Emmie, and 2-year-old son Tyler drowned in their backyard swimming pool. They were discovered by the man’s wife and children’s mother, who called 911 at approximately 3:30 in the afternoon. All three were pronounced dead at the hospital.

Dorchester County, South Carolina, March 1 —

3-year-old Adalyn Blackburn was found dead in the bottom of her home’s swimming pool by search and rescue officials after she was reported missing. The pool was filled with black water and algae and it was not until it was almost completely drained that searchers found the child at the bottom of the deep end of the pool.

Jonesboro, Arkansas, March 6 —

35-year-old Brandon Ross drowned in the Fairview Inn swimming pool during the afternoon.