Facts about Water Injuries:

Drowning is the number two cause of accidental death for children ages 14 and under. For every child who drowns, four more are hospitalized for near-drowning. On average, an annual 3,600 injuries occur to children due to a near-drowning incident. Home swimming pools are the most common site for a drowning to occur for a child between the ages 1 to 4 years. Children can drown in as little as one inch of water. A child will lose consciousness two minutes after submersion, with irreversible brain damage occurring within four to six minutes. Most children who had drowned in a swimming pool, had been missing from sight for less than five minutes.

Water Safety Questions:

Do I have to have a fence around my pool?

Yes. If you have a pool or spa, or if your child visits a
home that has a pool or spa, it should be sur-
rounded on all four sides by a fence at least
five feet high with gates that close and latch
automatically. Studies estimate that this
type of isolation fencing could prevent 50
percent to 90 percent of child drownings in
residential pools.

What is the best age for swimming lessons?

Enroll your kids in swimming lessons around
age 4, but don't assume swimming lessons make
your child "drownproof." There is no substitute for
active supervision.

Water Safety Tips
You Need to Know:

• Inflatable swimming toys such as "water wings" and noodles are not flotation devices and do not prevent drowning.
• Don't leave toys in or near the pool, where they could attract unsupervised kids. For extra protection, consider a pool alarm and alarms on the doors, windows and gates leading to the pool.
• A child can drown in as little as one inch of water, and drowning is usually quick and silent. A child will lose consciousness two minutes after submersion, with irreversible brain damage occurring within four to six minutes.

Water Statistics:

• Each year, more than 830 children
  ages 14 and under die as a result of
  unintentional drowning.
• For children ages five and under,
  close to 350 drown in residential
  swimming pools each year.
• In 2003, 62 percent of children ages
  14 and under who drowned in reported
  recreational boating accidents were not
  wearing PFDs or life jackets.
• In 2004, an estimated 340 children ages
  14 and under drowned in or around the
  home. Of these children, more than
  80 percent were ages 4 and under.