Drowning matters every day, not just every May

‘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.

Phoenix, Arizona, April 1 —

A 3-year-old girl died at the hospital after drowning in a swimming pool.

Phoenix, Arizona, April 10 —

A 15-year-old boy was in critical condition after a drowning incident at an apartment complex swimming pool. Bystanders started CPR by the time first responders arrived.

Raleigh, North Carolina, April 14 —

A 2-year-old boy died the day after he was found in a community pool.

The boy was found in the pool after he was reported missing and was transported to the hospital in critical condition but he died the next day.

Phoenix, Arizona, April 16 —

19-year-old Andrew Bryan was found dead in The Arizona State University swimming pool. He had been swimming laps. His body was turned over to the medical examiner who will determine the cause of death.

Pleasantdale, New York, April 17 —

A3-year-old boy named Owen who had been reported missing was located drowned in the swimming pool of the house he had been visiting. The boy was noticed missing as his family prepared Easter dinner. The boy was found after hours of searching by the sheriff’s department and more than a hundred community members.

Canyon Country, California, April 20 —

The body of a 40-year-old woman was discovered in a hot tub at a homeowners association complex. Children retrieving a lost soccer ball found the woman, told their parents, who called the police. Foul play is not suspected.

Shreveport, Louisiana, April 24 —

15-year-old Christian Muliira, 15, was found at the bottom of an apartment pool. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Hopkinsville, Kentucky, April 24 —

A small child went missing from his home and police found him floating in a swimming pool. After 30 minutes of resuscitation efforts, the boy was pronounced dead.