‘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.
Beaufort, South Carolina, November 12 —
A 2-year-old boy was found dead at the bottom of a hotel by police officers who had been called to the scene because the boys sister was roaming the hotel unattended. The children’s mother was in her room.
Osceola, Florida, November 14 —
A 3-year-old child was pronounced deceased after she was found unresponsive in her grandmother’s swimming pool when she got out of the home undetected while visiting with her mother.
Gardena, California, November 18 —
3-year-old Royal Starks drowned in his backyard swimming pool. He
was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Hernando, Florida, November 19 —
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.
Broward, Florida, November 22 —
A 3-year-old child was pronounced deceased after she was found unresponsive in her grandparent’s swimming pool when she got out of the home undetected.
