‘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.
Polk, Florida, April 22 —
A 3-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool.
He fell into the water when he was left unattended for a brief period of time.
Statesboro, Georgia, April 24 —
A 2-year-old girl died after drowning at an apartment complex pool.
Port St. Lucie, Florida, April 29 —
A 7-year-old girl attending a home birthday party drowned. CPR was started immediately and she was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.
Bridge City, Texas, April 30 —
2 girls, a 9-year-old and a 14-yearold were pulled unresponsive from a swimming pool at a home where they were attending a birthday party.
An off-duty nurse and her brother who were at the party immediately started CPR and the girls were revived before an ambulance arrived.
Tampa, Florida, April 30 —
2-year-old Arrayah Barrett, the daughter of Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett drowned in a pool and died at the hospital.
Sunrise, Florida, May 2 —
A 1-year-old child was in critical condition after drowning in a home pool.
Phoenix, Arizona, May 6 —
A 4-year-old boy drowned in a hotel pool and was taken to the hospital in critical condition where he later died.
Phoenix, Arizona, May 6 —
A 78-year-old man drowned in his home pool. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
