Don’t let drowning mar your holiday with heartbreak
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance urges everyone to follow the Safer 3.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. —Summer celebrations are synonymous with family fun. It’s time for fireworks, beach vacations, backyard barbecues and pool parties. But members of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance know that holiday weekends are also tragically synonymous with a spike in child drownings. The risk is even greater this summer, as more families seek refuge from record-high heat at backyard pools, swim clubs and beaches.
“We urge everyone to know and follow the Safer 3 rules developed by the Swim For Life Foundation so your summer is not marred by tragedy and heartbreak, says Kim Burgess, executive director of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.
1) For Safer Water, prevent children’s unsupervised access.
- Isolate the pool or spa from the house and yard by surrounding it with a fence and self-closing and self-latching gate. Or use an automatic, locking, pool or spa safety cover.
- Install door, child immersion, gate and water disturbance alarms. Multiple barriers provide backup in case one fails.
- Prevent children’s unsupervised access to any body of water, including bathtubs, buckets, coolers, toilets and natural.
2) For Safer Kids, teach them to swim and watch them carefully during water play.
- Designate a “water watcher” to ensure constant, attentive, adult supervision during water recreation and at bath time.
- Teach children water safety and swimming skills. Parents and child caregivers should also know how to swim proficiently.
- In open water, children and weak swimmers should wear U.S. Coast Guard approved life vests.
3) For Safer Response, be prepared for a water-related emergency.
- Know how to do CPR with rescue breathing.
- Keep a phone and reaching and throwing aids near the pool.
- Develop an emergency action plan and make sure everyone knows it.
- Swim only at beaches staffed by lifeguards.
- If a child is missing, check the pool and other water features first.
For more information, please visit:
NDPA.org
PoolSafely.gov
Safer3.com
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The National Drowning Prevention Alliance is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004. NDPA members are dedicated to preventing drowning for all age groups in all bodies of water through public education, advocacy and strategic partnerships. The public is invited to join by visiting NDPA.org.
bev@payton.com
215-357-5075
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004. NDPA members are dedicated to preventing drowning for all age groups in all bodies of water through public education, advocacy and strategic partnerships. The public is invited to join by visiting NDPA.org.
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