Safety Afloat Stats
Keeping a first aid kit or first aid kits by the swimming pool is not swimming safety. There are almost 4,000 fatal drownings in the United States every year. That means that across the entire United States there are more than 10 deaths by drowning or drowning related causes every day. Of those drownings in the United States, more than one in four of those people were children younger than 14. More than four times that number had to be taken to the hospital for injuries related to swimming accidents. Even when people don’t die from drowning, they canreceive serious long term brain damage including learning disabilities, memory issues, and permanent vegetative state.
Thankfully, there are factors that make someone more likely to drown. Identifying these risk factors can help us set up safety precautions to prevent deaths due to drowning in this country. Supervision is one of the most important things to ensure that children do not drown, as well as a lack of barriers preventing children from reaching water. Younger children who drown usually drown in bathtubs, toilets, or buckets. Most toddler aged children who drown do so under the supervision within five minutes of being out of their sight. Barriers are good even during supervision. Natural bodies of water are dangerous for older people. Boating accidents are usually linked with drowning incidents, as improper or unlicensed use of water craft results in 3,500 boating accidents with injured boaters a year. Alcohol is a big influence as well. Seizures are the highest risk factor for drowning related incidents in bathtubs.
Preventing these injuries and deaths can be quite easy. Watching kids at all times is the first thing to do. Swimming with a swimming buddy can be safe for everyone no matter what age they are, or make sure there is a life guard on duty wherever you are swimming. Leaving the alcohol alone near water is best. Learning to swimis a good idea too. Learning CPR can safe people’s lives, because most people drown and die before paramedics reach the scene. Using floating toys instead of personal flotation devices is a bad idea because they are not designed to keep you safe on the water.