Summer is here! To stay cool in San Bernardino County, you and your family may be planning to spend time near water. First 5 San Bernardino urges you to be mindful of water safety for your kids.
According to the CDC, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional, injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4. It is an accident that is preventable, especially when parents and caregivers make the ABC’s of Water Safety a priority to keep your entire family safe this summer.
- Adult Supervision – Maintain active supervision while children are around water.
- Barriers – Install appropriate fencing, latches and alarms to keep kids away from water.
- Classes – Take CPR and swimming lessons. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children begin swim lessons at one year of age.
Research shows that for every child who dies from drowning, another eight receive emergency department care for non-fatal drowning, stated First 5 Executive Director Karen Scott. “Because drowning happens in seconds and is often silent, it’s imperative that parents keep this top of mind especially as we enter the summer months,” Scott concluded.
Remember, children near water need your full attention. It’s important that you avoid reading, using your phone and consuming alcohol while you are supervising children.
To help, First 5 San Bernardino has created a Water Watcher Tag for you to print and bring to pools or open water. The tag has important safety information for adults supervising children in water, and most importantly, it can be used to identify who’s in charge of supervising children at a specific time. The free Water Watcher Tag is available for download in English and Spanish.
For more information on water safety: