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A child or weak swimmer can drown in the time it takes to reply to a text, put a load of laundry in the washer or apply sunscreen.
Death and injury from drownings happen every day in home pools and hot tubs, at the beach or in oceans, lakes and canals, bathtubs, toilets, washers and even buckets.
- Make sure you empty all buckets, containers and wading pools and store them upside down.
- Keep doors to bathrooms and laundry room closed at all times.
- Always stay within arm’s reach of your child when in or near water.
- Always brief babysitters on water safety, emphasizing the need for constant supervision.
- Maintain constant visual contact with children in a pool or pool area. Avoid all distractions, including looking or talking on your phone.
- If a child is missing, check all sources of water near home first; seconds count in preventing death or disability.
- Don’t think you’ll hear a child who is in trouble in the water; drowning is a silent death, with no splashing to alert anyone that there is trouble.
- Teach children water safety and swimming skills as early as possible.
- Teach yourself water safety, CPR and swimming skills.
- Always swim with a buddy, never alone.
Visit the Drowning Prevention Coalition to apply for swimming lesson vouchers and where to find swimming locations in Palm Beach County