‘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 prmote 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.

Cheektowaga, New York, March 20 —

A 4-year-old boy died after he was found in a private pool.

——— Victorville, California, March 22 — 4-year-old Sebastian Torres died at the hospital after he was found unresponsive in a backyard pool.

——— North Lauderdale, Florida, April 5 —

An 8-year-old boy drowned during a pool party. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

——— Broward County, Florida, April 6 —

An 8-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool while the family was attending a party at a relative's home.

——— St George, Utah, April 8 —

A legally blind man living at a senior living home died after driving his wheel chair into a swimming pool.

——— Brevard County, Florida, April 9 —

A 2 1/2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected when he and his mother were taking a nap together.

——— Hillsborough County, Florida, April 10 —

A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool when he managed to gain access undetected.

Sarasota County, Florida, April 10 —

A 1-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected while the mother was in the bathroom.

——— Pasco County, Florida, April 12 —

A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after she was found unresponsive in the swimming pool when she got out of the home undetected.

——— Sacramento County, California, April 14 —

A 2-year-old boy who was reported missing died after a neighbor found him in their pool.

——— Union County, New Jersey, April 14 —

A 3-year-old drowned in a home swimming pool.

——— Hillsborough County, Florida, April 16 —

A 4-year-old child who was found unresponsive in the family's small in-ground pool when he got out of the home undetected.

——— Seminole County, Florida, April 16 —

A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the swimming pool while being babysat by his grandparents.

The children and caregivers had been swimming when they all got out to eat. At some point the child went back out to the pool area undetected.

——— Polk County, Florida, April 18 —

A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased 3 days after he was found unresponsive in the family's swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected.

——— DeSoto County, Florida, April 19 —

A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after she was found unresponsive in the grandparents swimming pool when she got out of the home undetected.

——— Polk County, Florida, April 19 —

A 2-year-old autistic child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the family's above-ground swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected.

——— Miami Beach, Florida, Apil 22 —

A 5-year-old girl was hospitalized after she was found unconscious in the Tradewinds Apartment Hotel.