Water Safety
Three children die every day in the United States as a result of drowning. Here are some steps to protect the ones you love:
- Actively supervise children in and around water. Keep a phone close by in case of an emergency.
- Establish barriers to keep curious children away from water. Secure pools with four-sided fencing and self-closing, selflatching gates.
- Cover and lock hot tubs. Empty buckets and other containers of standing water. Children can drown in a very small amount of water.
- Learn CPR. In case of emergency, CPR can be performed immediately, even before paramedics arrive. This can prevent brain damage – and be the difference between life and death.
- Enroll your child (and yourself, if necessary) in swim lessons.
- Put a life jacket on your child every time you are all boating or on a dock.
- Avoid or moderate alcohol consumption while boating. If you boat frequently, consider taking a boating safety class.
For more information on safety around water, click here to read CSC's newsletter, For Our Children or click here to visit the Drowning Coalition of Palm Beach County.
Additional Links:
www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-guide/water-safety-guide/
www.waterproofFL.com
www.wlsl.org/
www.doh.state.fl.us/demo/InjuryPrevention/index.html
what if? Campaign
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County