SAN DIEGO — As we enter a busy summer season of water activities, make sure safety is as much a priority as the fun. Did you know that childhood drowning is the single leading cause of death for children ages one through four?
The statistics are staggering and on the rise. Adam Katchmarchi, CEO of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, joins our Laura Cavanaugh to help us change the numbers with tips to help parents keep their kids and families safe.
Drowning can happen in as little as 20-60 seconds and doesn’t always look like it does in Hollywood or the movies. It is fast, silent, but it is preventable. By learning and using the following five layers of protection, you can significantly reduce the risk of drowning. That is why learning swim skills early on is so important. The AAP recommends starting swim lessons as early as a child’s first birthday. By taking formal swim lessons, young children can reduce their risk of drowning significantly.
But no single prevention strategy is enough. When used together, the five layers of protection are powerful.
- Restrict Access to Water – by using fencing, barriers and alarms
- Capable Adult Supervision – designate a water watcher, be in the water with your kids
- Water Competency – Children can start swim lessons as early as their first birthday
- Properly-fitted life jackets – on boat, around natural bodies of water
- Emergency Preparation – know what to do in an emergency, CPR with rescue breaths, basic water rescue skills
To prepare kids for a safer summer at the beach, make sure to swim near a lifeguard. Rip currents are the cause of more than 80% of the rescues that lifeguards perform on beaches each year When waves are two to three feet or higher, you may likely experience strong rip currents. Before heading to the beach, check your local beach conditions and plan on bringing along a flotation device.
Together we can prevent drowning and save lives.
Learn how to keep your family safer at www.ndpa.org/firstsport
Sponsored by: The National Drowning Prevention Alliance