Water safety
With summer in full swing, Mercyhealth emergency services personnel caution that staying safe around water should be top of mind when headed out for warm-weather fun.
Every year in the US there are an estimated 3,960 accidental drownings. Amongst children aged 1 to 4 years old, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death, but drowning is preventable.
The following water safety steps are recommended:
- Never leave a child unattended around water. Supervision is essential. Young children can drown in as little as one inch of water, so it is important to keep children within an arm’s reach.
- Empty water containers or children’s pools immediately after use. Store tubs, buckets and children’s pools upside down and out of reach when not in use.
- Learn to swim. In order to reduce the risk of drowning, adults and children should learn proper swimming techniques.
- Wear a life jacket. Wearing life jackets saves lives. Life jackets should be worn by anyone who is boating, paddling, swimming or participating in open water activities.
- Learn CPR. It is important to know what to do in case of an emergency. Be prepared by learning CPR and basic water rescue skills.