Arizona has the second-highest child drowning rate for children under four in the nation. As the temperatures rise, so do drowning calls. But, there are some steps to take to make sure your children stay safe around water.
Arizona residents with pools are encouraged to remember the ABCs when it comes to water safety.
A is for Adult Supervision. Many child drowning incidents occur when an adult is nearby, but isn’t engaged. Captain Benjamin Santillan with the Phoenix Fire Department says that adult supervision “means watching your children all the time. That doesn’t mean answering the phone when it rings and leaving your child.”
One successful technique, especially for parties and get-togethers, is to have a designated Water Watcher. For an agreed-upon period of time such as twenty minutes, one adult takes on the role of Water Watcher, avoiding adult conversations, putting down the phone, and keeping eyes roaming the water. After their “shift,” they then hand off the duty to another adult in the same manner. Some local organizations such as The Kenny Klaus Team provide “Water Watcher” tags so party hosts can keep track of who is “on duty.”
B is for Barriers. “Making sure that you know one hundred percent, all the time that your child cannot get into a pool; and also those barriers in your house making sure child is not going through a doggy door,” says Santillan.C is for classes. “Classes not only mean learning how to swim, but also CPR classes.”
For more information on drowning prevention and water safety, contact your local fire department or visit Banner Children’s Water Safety Campaign: www.bannerhealth.com/CardonChildrensWaterWalk.
Get Your Free Water Watcher Tag by visiting The Kenny Klaus Team at 2919 S Ellsworth Rd #133 on the Southeast Corner of Ellsworth and Guadalupe behind the Sonic weekdays between 9-5.
