‘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.
Livingston Parish, Louisiana, October 26 —
4-year-old Justin Dendy had been reported missing and was found drowned in a neighbor’s pool, not far from his own home. The pool was unfenced.
Hillsborough County, Florida, October 29 —
A 2 1/2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the family’s hot tub when he was outside with family members.
Clovis California, October 31 —
A gardener was found dead after falling into a pool. Police got a call that the man, still wearing a gas backpack blower, was at the bottom of the pool.
