MAKE HAPPY MEMORIES SAFELY AROUND WATER
Layers of Protection
According to the CDC drowning is the leading cause of death for children 1-4 years old.
No single solution can prevent drowning. Multiple strategies should be used consistently and simultaneously. In the event that your child finds their way to the water when you aren’t expecting it, each one of these layers buys you time. When one layer may fail, another is there to help prevent these horrific accidents.
Adult supervision is vital when children are in and around water regardless of their swimming ability. An adult should be within arms reach at all times. Always appoint a “water watcher” whose only job is to watch the water and swimmers continuously without distraction.
Supervision fails- especially when children are not expected to be around water. The pool must have a self closing, self latching pool fence with locks. There should also be alarms and locks on doors and windows leading to the pool area, including dog doors.
While swim lessons alone are not enough to prevent drowning, they are a very important layer of protection. Educate yourself on the types of swim lessons that are available and ensure that your child’s lessons include water safety and survival education.
Coast Guard Approved Life jackets should be worn by people of all ages while in and around water above their swimming ability. Make sure they are properly fitted and worn appropriately. Avoid “floaties” or anything that can be blown up. These are not life saving devices.
If any of these layers fail, and you find yourself in an emergency situation, you need to know how to do CPR for water rescue. Mouth-to-Mouth CPR could help reduce brain injury from lack of oxygen.
Become CPR certified for all age levels.
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Preventing drownings is only possible because of friends like you.
Drowning Prevention in the News
Odin's Story
June 12th, 2021 our world shattered and our lives changed forever.
June 12th, 2021 was a day like any other. We walked to our local park in the morning, enjoyed the pool as a family, and dressed up in costumes for play time as we often did together. Our oldest son was going to a friends house that evening and my husband and I had made plans to meet my cousin for dinner, so we asked a family member to watch our 2 year old twin boys, Cole and Odin.
Shortly after we left that evening, tragedy struck.
About an hour after we left for dinner, we got a call from our neighbor telling us that Odin had been found floating in our backyard pool. Our family member had fallen asleep, leaving our boys unsupervised for an extended period of time. Odin was taken to the hospital, where he later passed away.
We can’t change what happened to our son, it is too late for us. But what we can do, is continue to tell our story and speak his name in an attempt to keep this from happening to any other child.