CAL FIRE AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS know all too well the tragic results of a child’s death from drowning. Drowning is 100 % preventable.

ABC’S OF WATER SAFETY

A= Adult Supervision. Assign an adult Water Watcher to keep their eyes on the water at ALL times.

B = Barriers. Install barriers such as fences, self-closing and self-latching gates, pool motion sensors, window and door alarms.

C = Classes. Parents and Caregivers should take CPR and First Aid, and swimming courses that are available for both children and adults.

Children drown without a sound. Drowning is a quiet event. There is no splashing, no screaming, and no noise at all.

• Drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional or accidental injury-related death to children ages 1-4 years old in Riverside County.
• A submerged child can lose consciousness in less than 1 minute-the time it takes to answer a phone - and sustain permanent brain damage in only 4-6 minutes.
• Children under the age of five have can have no fear of water and no concept of death. Water is associated with play.
• Remember, it takes very little water for a child to drown. Less than one inch of water is all it takes to cover the mouth and nose of a toddler.
• From 2005-2009 Riverside County had 63 children between the ages of 0-17 that died in a drowning incident. 54 of those children were under the age of 5.

PREVENTION TIPS:

• SUPERVISE! Never leave a child alone near a pool or spa, bathtub, pond, toilet, bucket of liquid, or any standing water.
• Assign an adult Water Watcher to keep their eyes on the water at all times. • Do not allow children to play near the pool or spa.
• Keep toilet lids down. Install safety latches on the toilet lids to prevent toddlers from opening and playing in the toilet.
• Empty wading pools immediately after use and store upside-down.
• Bath rings are only bathing aids, not personal floatation devices.
• Never rely on devices or swimming lessons to protect children without supervision.
• American Academy of Pediatrics advises against swim lessons until the 4th birthday.
• Never drink alcoholic beverages before or during swimming or supervising children.

BE PREPARED

• Learn CPR & First Aid
• Know your neighborhood and the homes your child visits. Is there a pool? Is it properly protected? If the children will be swimming, who will be supervising them?
• Learn how to swim and learn proper rescue techniques.
• Keep rescue equipment at near the pool. Do NOT use air-filled swimming aids (such as water rings) in place of life preservers. These devices can give parents and children a false sense of security, which may increase the risk of drowning.
• Keep a portable telephone and emergency phone numbers nearby.

WEBSITES FOR WATER & POOL SAFETY

Riverside County Children’s Prevention Network www.rivcoips.org
Riverside County Fire Department www.rvcfire.org
American Red Cross in Riverside County www.riversidecounty.redcross.org
National Drowning Alliance www.drowningpreventionalliance.com
Safe Kids Worldwide www.safekids.org
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission www.cpsc.gov

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