‘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.

Clarkston, Georgia, June 7 –

A 9-year-old boy drowned in an apartment complex pool. He died at the hospital.

Miami-Dade County, Florida, June 9 –

A 1 1/ 2– year-old boy was pronounced deceased the day after he was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected.

Monroe County, Tennessee, June 12 –

A 2-year-old girl died of drowning in her home swimming pool. The girl had been playing outside with other children and when her mother stepped away for a moment, the girl was no longer there.

Edina, Minnesota, June 12 –

A 5-year-old boy died 6 days after drowning in an apartment complex swimming pool.

Opelika, Alabama, June 13 –

5-year-old Kyrie Jefferson died by drowning in his apartment complex pool

Gurnee, Illinois, June 13 –

A 5-year-old boy was hospitalized in serious condition after drowning in an apartment swimming pool.

Collier County, Florida, June 14 –

A 11/ 2– y e a r- old boy wa s pronounced deceased hours after he was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool. The incident occurred during a family gathering/ dinner at the home during which time he gained access to the pool undetected.

Brevard County, Florida, June 15 –

A 4-year-old girl was pronounced deceased after she was found unresponsive in the neighbor’s swimming pool when she got out of the home undetected.

Cramerton, South Carolina, June 15 –

A 4-year-old boy died at the

hospital after drowning at the Cramer Mountain country club

Phoenix, Arizona, June 15 –

2-year-old Axiel Marguez was in critical condition after he was pulled from an aboveground hot tub. He died at the hospital.

Phoenix, Arizona, June 15 –

2-year-old Celeste Molina died after she was pulled from a home pool. Family said she may have been in the water for 10 minutes.

Metairie, Louisiana, June 16 –

Two girls, 1-year-old Jahvon Hawkins and 2-year-old Neveah Lanieux, who were cousins, drowned after falling or jumping into their gated apartment swimming pool.

Warren, Michigan, June 17 –

A 9-year-old boy was in critical condition after drowning in an apartment complex pool.

Cleburne County, Alabama, June 17 –

4-year-old DJ Jarrell, who had been reported missing, was found by police dead in a backyard pool.

From page 14

Toledo, Ohio, June 17 –

A 3-year-old boy died at the hospital after drowning in a relative’s pool.

Palm Beach County, Florida, June 19 –

A 11/ 2– y e a r- old boy wa s pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected while in the care of his grandparents.

Cottage Grove, Minnesota, June 20 –

A 3-year-old girl was pronounced dead at the hospital after family members found her unresponsive in the swimming pool.

Sandy Springs, Georgia, June 21 –

A missing 5-year-old special needs girl was found by police in an apartment complex pool. Officers began life-saving measures and she was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.

Calhoun County, Florida, June 22 –

A 11/ 2– y e a r- old boy wa s pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when he gained access to the water undetected.

Wake County, North Carolina, June 25 –

A 2-year-old boy died after he was pulled from a home pool.

Burlington County, New Jersey, June 25 –

A 6-year-old boy drowned in the Liberty Lake Day Camp swimming pool. A lifeguard performed CPR on the boy and he was brought to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Las Cruces, New Mexico, June 25 –

A 2-year-old boy was found by his parents unresponsive in their swimming pool. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.