Swimming safety helps address the number-one cause of death and unintentional injury among children under age 5: drownings and near-drownings in swimming pools and hot tubs. Three in every four of these accidents occur in backyard swimming pools and hot tubs, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
How can you help protect the kids you love from injury this summer? Start by raising their awareness and your own by taking the “Pool Safely” pledge with them. The CPSC offers a sample pledge for both children and adults. The children’s pledge asks kids to promise to keep the following safety rules in mind:
- Never swim alone,
- Ask parents or caregivers to sign them up for swimming lessons,
- Avoid the drains in pools and hot tubs,
- Have fun, but be safe, around the water.
The parents’ pledge works alongside the children’s pledge by asking parents to:
- Designate an adult “water watcher” to keep a sharp eye on kids when they are in or near the water,
- Make sure the kids learn how to swim,
- Learn CPR to deal with any sudden emergencies,
- Always cover portable pools when not in use,
- Make sure permanent pools have a proper fence, locking gates, and safe drain covers.
Adults can also help protect kids by making sure they have proper floatation devices in the pool and on boats, and by never leaving pool toys with young children or attempting to substitute pool toys for proper floatation devices.
At Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, our experienced New York injury attorneys fight on behalf of every client we represent. For a free and confidential consultation, call our office today at (212) 222-4336.