‘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.

Kenova, West Virginia, July 23 —

6-year-old Julian Kay drowned at Dreamland Pool and died 2 days later.

Peoria, Illinois, July 28 —

6-year-old Nola Lobdell died at the hospital after she was pulled from the Mt. Hawley Country Club pool.

Monroe County, Illinois, July 28 —

A 1-year-old died at the hospital after falling into a swimming pool.

Anderson County, South Carolina, July 29 —

17-month-old Jesse Alexander Williams died from his injuries a week after being found in a swimming pool.

Scottsdale, Arizona, July 30 —

A 3-year-old child died the day after being pulled from a swimming pool.

Hillsborough County, Florida, July 31 —

A2 1/ 2– year-old boy was pronounced deceased 3 days after he was found unresponsive in the apartment complex swimming pool when he left the family's residence undetected.

Castle Hill, New York, August 1 —

River Wilson, 20 months, was pronounced dead at the hospital after she was found in the aboveground pool at her daycare center.

Richmond, Texas, August 2 —

An unidentified child drowned in a residential swimming pool.

San Antonio, Texas, August 6 —

A 3-year-old boy died in an apartment complex pool during a family cookout.

Saint Lucie County, Florida, August 8 —

A 4-year-old boy was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the family's swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected.

Goodyear, Arizona, August 10 —

A 1-year-old boy died after being found in a backyard pool.

Indianapolis, Indiana, August 10 —

1-year-old Ka'varii Perkins died after being found in a swimming pool.