Summer enjoyment includes a lot of water activities. Making sunny day family moments that will last a lifetime begins with creating safe surroundings for kids around water.
Here’s a sobering statistic as we head into the long Fourth of July holiday weekend, drowning is the leading cause of death for children nationwide, according to the American Red Cross. In Massachusetts, drowning have dramatically increased since the start of the pandemic, many happening in places where lifeguards are not present, such as quarries and backyard pools. Adding to this perfect storm is the fact that nine of Boston’s public pools are closed this summer for various reasons, reducing the number of safe places for children to swim, and the city has managed to hire only about half of the lifeguards needed for full staffing levels this summer a problem other municipalities are also grappling with.
* Underage Children’s Water Safety
It turns out that day we were quite lucky. Every year, about 1,000 children under the age of 4 die from wounds connected to drowning, which is the greatest cause of injury-related death in children. It was dead silent when Ben fell into the pool. There was silence. I checked on him every few minutes, but I was still preoccupied. My expectations for a toddler to “wait three minutes for Mommy” were too high. And I’ll always be appreciative to the kindergartener who had the foresight to speak up. Any family can experience a drowning. Even though the thought of drowning is terrifying, we must talk about it in order to protect our young children.
Fact: The bulk of drowning in children 4 and under occur in backyard pools. When researchers examined child drowning deaths, they discovered that over 70% of the kids who were found in the water were not supposed to be at the pool. Additionally, 46% of the kids were last seen inside the house! Because they want what they want when they want it and can turn doorknobs, toddlers are known to have stealth escape skills.
Parent Tips:
- The best way to prevent drowning in settings where kids are likely to be near or in water is to provide them with constant, close supervision.
- The best method to avoid drowning is 4-sided fencing when children are NOT likely to be near or in water.
- Home doors should be child-proofed to prevent tenacious small hands from opening them.
- Check pools and hot tubs first if a child cannot be located.
- Install a permanent fence that completely encloses the pool and separates it from the home. The fence should be at least 4 feet tall and have 4 sides. The barrier ought to:
- Impede hiking and have no footholds
- Have vertical slats that are no wider than 4 inches apart (to prevent toddlers from scooting through).
- Ensure that the latch is at least 54 inches off the ground.
- Have a gate that closes and latches by itself.
About dams, creeks, ponds, and tanks: water safety:
Rules are not always understood, followed, or remembered by kids, especially if they are preoccupied with play. So a safely fenced-in play area can effectively separate young children from water hazards.
Here are some suggestions for enhancing water safety around your property:
- Between the house and any bodies of water, erect a fence.
- Teach your child never to approach a dam, a creek, or a water tank alone.
- Any water tanks should have a lid that is child-resistant.
- If your children or guests’ youngsters are younger than five years old, fence off, drain, or seal ponds.
- Ensure that your youngster cannot get the water tank by climbing any trellises, ladders, windows, or trees.
