Keeping a first aid kit or first aid kits by the swimming pool is not swimming safety. There are almost 4,000 fatal drownings in the United States every year. That means that across the entire United States there are more than 10 deaths by drowning or drowning related causes every day. Of those drownings in the United States, more than one in four of those people were children younger than 14. More than four times that number had to be taken to the hospital for injuries related to swimming accidents. Even when people don’t die from drowning, they canreceive serious long term brain damage including learning disabilities, memory issues, and permanent vegetative state.
Though there are a lot of deaths due to drowning in this country every year, there are factors that make someone more likely to drown. Identifying these risk factors will help prevention. Supervision is one of the most important things to ensure that children do not drown, as well as a lack of barriers preventing children from reaching water. Younger children who drown usually drown in bathtubs, toilets, or buckets. Most toddler aged children who drown do so under the supervision within five minutes of being out of their sight. Barriers are good even during supervision. The older children and people get, the more likely they are to drown in natural water settings like lakes, rivers, ponds, or the ocean. Boating and drowning are often linked too. Alcohol is a big influence as well. Seizures are the highest risk factor for drowning related incidents in bathtubs.
Prevention is easy. Watching kids at all times is the first thing to do. Swimming with a swimming buddy can be safe for everyone no matter what age they are, or make sure there is a life guard on duty wherever you are swimming. Avoiding alcohol before or during water related activities like swimming, water skiing, or boating and avoiding consumption of alcohol consumption while supervising young children can prevent many deaths related to drowning or water. Learning to swim, as obvious as it seems, can be a lifesaver, but it is not recommended as a primary means for drowning prevention for younger children. CPR can save someone’s life before the medics get there. Use PFD’s instead of toys which are not designed to keep you safe.
