Did you know that over 75% off all drownings are children under 5?

14 Aug Did you know that over 75% off all drownings are children under 5?

Highest drowning risk: Kids under 5

A new federal safety report shows toddlers and minority children make up a disproportionate number of drowning victims.

From MSN Money

Swimming pool safety should be every parents’ main concern during the summer months.  Swimming pool drownings are leading cause of unintentional deaths in children nationwide.  Young children are especially at greater risk, as this post from MSN money points out.  There are many steps that parents can take to mitigate the risks, and those are outlined in this post.  Here is an excerpt from the post:

Children should not be able to access a pool when adults are not there to supervise them, the CPSC said. The agency suggests pool owners consider the following questions to determine if they have done what they need to do to make their pools as safe as possible:

Is there a fence around the perimeter of your pool or spa?

Are there self-closing and self-latching gates?

Are there door, gate or pool alarms in use?

Does your pool have anti-entrapment drain covers that are compliant with the P&SS Act?

Are all pool and spa covers in working order?

Has the public pool or spa you use been inspected to ensure it is compliant with federal, state and local laws?

Has someone in the family received training in CPR, first aid and emergency response?

Has everyone learned to swim?

The American Red Cross offers Learn to Swim classes at locations across the country. You can find a list of the classes closest to you on its website.

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