‘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.
Yuma, Arizona, August 8 —
A 2-year-old girl drowned in her home pool.
Spring, Texas, August 9 —
A 4-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the hospital after drowning in a residential pool.
Brevard County, Florida, August 11 —
A 5 1/ 2– year-old child was pronounced deceased after she was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when she got out of the home undetected while her father was using the bathroom.
Harris County, Texas, August 13 —
A 1-year-old boy drowned in an apartment complex swimming pool while under the supervision of an adult who was also watching several other children.
Johnston County, North Carolina, August 15 —
A 12-year-old child died of drowning in a home swimming pool.
Goodyear, Arizona, August 16 —
A 5-year-old boy died after drowning in home’s swimming pool.
Boone County, Kentucky, August 18 —
5-year-old Aldon Eveland was found by family members unresponsive in their aboveground swimming pool. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Palm Beach, Florida, August 19 —
A 1 1/ 2– year-old child was pronounced deceased after she was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when she got out of the home undetected.
Volusia County, Florida, August 20 —
A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when he was reported missing from the home.
Broward County, Florida, August 21 —
A 1 1/ 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.
Long Island, New York, August 23 —
A 5-year-old boy died after his mother found him in the family pool.
Hillsborough County, Florida, August 23 —
A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected.
Portland, Oregon, August 25 —
A young girl died of drowning at Montavilla public pool. Her name and age were not released.
Marion County, Florida, August 26 —
A 3-year-old child was pronounced deceased after she was found at the bottom of a campground swimming pool where she was attending a birthday party.
Polk County, Florida, August 27 —
A 2 1/ 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 while in the care of an older sibling.
