I remember growing up in Blytheville. Saturdays in the summer meant picnics at Walker Park, playing on the train that ran through the park, climbing on the old fire trucks and just being a kid. But after a while, it was time to go to Coalter's Clear Pool for some cooling off. I remember the huge (hot) metal slide, the high and low diving boards, 70's music blaring out of loudspeakers, lifeguards and their clearing the pool for safety check...and Jesse Coalter smiling at all the kids coming in for some aquatic fun. At that age, I never gave a though about swimming deaths, either children or adults. Before summer swimming began, the local Red Cross and YMCA gave swimming lessons to local children (and adults). There were no corners cut on safety and prevention. But, as I got older (and hopefully wiser), experience taught me that drowning was real. And terrifying. Although I could swim, accidents happen.
Drowning is a leading cause of death among children, including infants and toddlers. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates. In 2014, among children 1 to 4 years old who died from an unintentional injury, one-third died from drowning. Among children ages 1 to 4, most drownings occur in home swimming pools. Drowning is responsible for more deaths among children ages 1 to 4 than any other cause except congenital anomalies (birth defects). Among children ages 1 to 14, fatal drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death behind motor vehicle crashes.
While there are many locations that children can drown, such as lakes, oceans, pools, bathtubs and even buckets of water, we will be focusing on private swimming pools. It is summertime, and that means outdoor activities. Most public pools have lifeguards trained in water rescue, CPR and basic life support. All private pools are a swim-at-your-own-risk activities.
If you own your own pool, the CDC recommends the following:
-- Install Four-Sided Fencing. Install a four-sided pool fence that completely separates the pool area from the house and yard. The fence should be at least 4 feet high. Use self-closing and self-latching gates that open outward with latches that are out of reach of children. Also, consider additional barriers such as automatic door locks and alarms to prevent access or alert you if someone enters the pool area.
-- Clear the Pool and Deck of Toys. Remove floats, balls and other toys from the pool and surrounding area immediately after use so children are not tempted to enter the pool area unsupervised. Not just your own children find pools and pool toys irresistible. Neighborhood kids (and even pets) are drawn to them.
They recommend the following tips:
-- Supervise When in or Around Water. Designate a responsible adult to watch young children while swimming or playing in or around water. Supervisors of preschool children should provide "touch supervision", be close enough to reach the child at all times. Because drowning occurs quickly and quietly, adults should not be involved in any other distracting activity (such as reading, playing cards, talking on the phone, or mowing the lawn) while supervising children.
-- Learn to Swim. Formal swimming lessons can protect young children from drowning. However, even when children have had formal swimming lessons, constant, careful supervision when children are in the water, and barriers, such as pool fencing to prevent unsupervised access, are still important.
-- Learn Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). In the time it takes for paramedics to arrive, your CPR skills could save someone's life.
I have personally witnessed a drowning up close. It was terrifying, panic-inducing and also a life changing event. Luckily, a bystander rescued our friend and performed CPR and brought him back to us.
But that didn't stop the nightmares and horrors that occur in your mind once witnessed or experienced.
Parents, relatives, friends...even strangers, keep a sharp eye out for young ones around pools and swimming areas. You can be their only hope. Someday, they might return the favor.
The preceding information was obtained from the following websites:
http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Water-Safety/waterinjuries-factsheet.html
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/injuries-emergencies/Pages/Drowning.aspx
http://www.poolsafely.gov/news/drowning-deaths-and-injuries-infographic/