Water Safety - Layers of Protection
Drowning is PREVENTABLE
It’s silent, happens quickly and is preventable!
According to the World Health Organization every hour, every day, more than 40 people lose their lives to drowning; 372,000 people drown each year, with those under 5 years old at greatest risk; Globally, over half of all drowning deaths are under 25 years old.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about ten people die from unintentional drowning, of these, two are children aged 14 or younger. Drowning ranks fifth among the leading causes of unintentional injury death in the United States.
Drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages 1-4 in Florida. Florida’s drowning death rate among children ages 1-4 is the highest in the nation. Enough children drown each year in Florida to fill three to four preschool classrooms. By no means has Collier County been spared this preventable tragedy. According to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, drowning is the leading cause of death of children ages one to four in Collier County.
The NCH Safe & Healthy Children’s Coalition recognizes that multiple layers of protection are necessary to prevent drowning. We stresses that NO single device or solution can prevent child drownings. Parents, caregivers, aquatic facility owners, managers and operators should use “layers of protection” to provide a system of increased security to prevent unauthorized access to bodies of water, especially important for children. This means that multiple strategies or devices are used constantly and simultaneously.
Drowning happens to the BEST PARENTS and the BEST PEOPLE. It is silent and 100% preventable.
Layers include various types of barriers, including supervision, fences, pool covers, alarms, education, and more. Some layers aid in preventing access to the water, such as fences or pool safety covers. Other types of layers, such as alarms, will alert adults immediately if the barriers have been crossed. And finally, some layers are intended to minimize injury should a child gain access to the water, such as swim instruction, U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets, proper rescue techniques, and knowing CPR.
Please help share the following four messages to help prevent the loss of another child!
- Supervise -Never take your eyes off children in and around water. There Is No Substitute for Active Supervision! Actively supervise children in and around open bodies of water, giving them your undivided attention. When there are several adults present and children are swimming, use the Water Watcher card strategy, which designates an adult as the Water Watcher for a certain amount of time (such as 15-minute periods) to prevent lapses in supervision. IF YOUR CHILD IS MISSING, CHECK NEARBY POOLS and OTHER WATER AREAS FIRST.
- Use Barriers – Fences, self-closing/self-latching gates and secured doors with alarms can prevent young children from wandering into the pool/canal/lake/pond. Check for broken or missing drain covers. Use Barriers – Fences, self-closing/self-latching gates and secured doors with alarms can prevent young children from wandering into the pool/canal/lake. We have FREE door/window alarms for Collier County residents. These FREE alarms are possible thanks to the generous donation from Kiwanis Club of Greater Collier.
- Learn to Swim – To stay safer in the water, all family members should learn to swim well. Teach children NEVER SWIM ALONE, an ADULT MUST watch them in the pool/canal/lake. Young children and inexperienced swimmers need to wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket. NEVER leave a child alone around water. Remember, no one is drown proof, no matter how well they swim. The American Association of Pediatrics says children can safely take swim lessons as early as age 1. Our coalition has life jackets available at 15 Life Jacket Loaner Stations
- Know How to Respond – Get training in basic water rescue skills, first aid and CPR. Have rescue equipment and a phone by the pool.
Water Smart Collier Website
Visit our Water Safety website, watersmartcollier.com for even more information on water safety & drowning prevention in Collier county!