‘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 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.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, April 1 —

4-year-old Demi Williams drowned in the lazy river of the Crown Reef Beach Resort and Waterpark. Her caretaker said she left the girl for a few minutes in a tube but without her floats. The girl was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Marathon, Florida, April 2 —

2-year-old Leland Rudeen died six days after being found unconscious in a vacation home pool. Adults lost sight of the girl and found her a short time later, pulled her from the pool and started CPR. The girl’s parents decided to donate some of her organs to help save other children.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, April 7 —

5-year-old Shane Chester drowned in the swimming pool at Ocean Reef Resort while on vacation with his family. The boy was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Orlando, Florida, April 7 —

3-year-old Haven Williams is expected to make a full recovery thanks to the swift actions of a 13-yearold stranger. Kaydence Henslee, 13, was at a Disney World hotel pool when she noticed a small unconscious body in the deep end of the water. She got the toddler out of the water and helped with CPR until paramedics arrived.

Jensen Beach, Florida, April 28 —

Zale Dudas, 9, and her brother Saxon Nairne, 7, drowned in their father’s friend’s pool. The children were given permission to use the pool, along with a scuba tank, while the adults walked away from the pool area and into the garage. A short time later, an adult returned and found both children at the bottom of the pool. Adults pulled the children out and began CPR. The children died 4 days later. The father told investigators the children were experienced swimmers and proficient divers.