6 Swimming and Pool Safety Facts and Myths

Drowning statistics are sobering, and both pools and beaches present hazards that go beyond swimming safety. Here are some simple smart tips for staying safe. By Dan Shapley

Children Are at Highest Risk of Drowning

Fact: While 8 in 10 drownings are over age 14, children age 1-4 have the highest drowning rates, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In that young age group, nearly one in three deaths from accidental injury come from drowning. For every death by drowning in those age 14 and under, there are four visits to emergency rooms for near-drownings, which can result in lifelong injury, including permanent brain damage.

What You Can Do:
> Whenever young children are swimming, an adult who knows how to perform child CPR should be supervising at arms length. Supervising the young swimmers should be that adult's sole occupation.
> If your home has a pool, it should be fenced on four sides, which reduces risk of drowning from unsupervised swimming by more than 80%.
> After a supervised swimming is done, clear the area of pool toys to remove the temptation for children to return to the pool unsupervised. Most drowning deaths among young children happen at times when parents are nearby, but a child visits the pool alone.