Drowning Prevention Program
Drowning prevention information is not for someone else, it is for you. Only by increasing awareness and effort can we reduce some alarming statistics. Read on to learn how you can make your pool or spa safe and help prevent these unfortunate accidents. Pool owners, especially those with young children and grandchildren, should always keep in mind the deadly hazards a pool can pose.
- In the United States, pool drowning claims more than 4,000 lives annually.
- In California, drowning is the leading cause of death for children under age 14.
- More than 70% of children who drown were under adult supervision and out of sight less than five minutes.
- For every drowning, an additional four near-drowning incidents result in hospitalization, some of these end in death and many others result in permanent brain damage.
- Swimming pools are fourteen times more likely than a motor vehicle to be involved in the death of a child.
Children can drown in a matter of seconds... a young child can drown quickly and silently, often without any sound of splashing or screaming. In the time it takes to . . .
- cross the room for a towel (10 seconds), a child can become submerged in water.
- answer a phone call (2 minutes), a child will lose consciousness.
- open the front door for a visitor (4-6 minutes), enough time has passed that a child would sustain permanent brain damage.
Is your pool safe?
Each year, an average of 350 children under five years of age drown. More than 80% of drownings occur in residential swimming pools and spas.
An additional 2,600 children under age five are seen in emergency rooms for near-drowning incidents in swimming pools, about 42% of these incidents require additional hospitalization. Some of these children will never return home and many of who survive near-drowning incidents suffer permanent brain damage.
In addition to swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs, children can drown in small quantities of water and are at risk in their own homes from wading pools, bathtubs, buckets, pails, and toilets.
Avoid a tragedy by making your home safer.
Drowning is preventable. The key to preventing these tragedies is to have layers of protection. This includes placing barriers around your pool to prevent access, using pool alarms, closely supervising your child and being prepared in case of an emergency. By taking the necessary precautions you can make your pool safer for everyone. The following are guidelines that will help you prevent these tragedies from happening in your home: