ABCs of Water Safety to Avoid Drowning Accidents
By Craig Knapp on April 14, 2016

Last month, in only a week’s time, a 2-year-old nearly drowned in Tempe after falling in a pool with no fence, a 5-year-old in Glendale died after climbing over a fence and drowning in a pool, and an 18-year-old died after falling in Lake Pleasant and drowning. As temperatures rise and more folks head for the pool and lake to cool down, water safety is needed more than ever. Arizonans see a spike in drowning accidents in warmer months and that’s why local Fire Departments are stressing the importance of the ABCs of water safety to parents.

A is for adult supervision. Many drowning deaths happen in a matter of only a couple minutes. This is why adults should not leave children alone for any amount of time. It’s not just pools parents need to worry about. Children have drowned in only a few inches of water in bath tubs, mop buckets, “empty” play pools, a dog’s water bowl, etc… The same rules apply for those who may be deemed old enough to swim. For teens and adults, always use a buddy system when swimming.

B is for barriers. The more barriers between a pool and a child, the better. Every pool should have a fence, a lock on that fence, and a hard-to-reach handle. For older kids, you’ll want to make sure there’s nothing outside that they could move and use to climb over the fence. For the inside of the house, you’ll want the doors to the pool to be locked with a handle out of reach, as well. If you have a large enough doggy door, you’ll want to make sure the doggy door is securely closed so your child can’t climb through it.

C is for classes. Every parent or babysitter should get CPR certified. In case of an emergency, you want to be prepared. For your child, enroll him or her in swim lessons. That way if an accident does happen, your child knows what to do to swim to safety or float safely until help arrives. Read more about swimming lessons for children aged 6 months to 6 years here.

You can never be too cautious in working to prevent drowning accidents. Here are 6 more drowning accident prevention steps you can take right now.

If your child has been seriously injured while swimming in the care of someone else, the Phoenix injury lawyers at Knapp & Roberts are here to help. Call our offices today at 480-991-7677 or fill out an online form for a free consultation.