Water Safety

So far this year, in the Phoenix area alone, there have been 2 child drowning deaths resulting from 21 water related incidents*

Hacienda HealthCare believes that water safety awareness is something everyone should be concerned about all year long. It takes only inches of water for a small child to drown so taking extra safety steps at home and around pools, spas and all bodies of water can prevent drowning incidents.

Hacienda HealthCare has teamed up with Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona, SRP, and Pool Safely, to promote Water Safety and Drowning Prevention throughout The Valley. Thanks to our Safety & Prevention sponsor State Farm.

We’ve all heard about distracted driving but have you ever thought that these same distractions can happen when you are at a pool with your children? In the news today there are more and more reports of drownings that happen under adult supervision.

“Adam was a happy, healthy little boy until February 11, 1988. That was the day his life and the lives of his entire family were changed forever.” — read more

“My child could have easily drowned that day. I was overconfident in her abilities in the pool. I never once considered that another child could pull her under the water. I never imagined my child could drown with so many adults within a few feet of her.” — The Day My Daughter Nearly Drowned Surrounded by Adults – by Megan Woolsey

“Then within a few minutes, he was out of sight. It’s difficult for his parents to describe the events of that day, but Jana remembers frantically scanning the pool, searching for him. Moments later he was pulled from the shallow water by another swimmer, lifeless. — The Sad Truth About Drowning – by Ari Brown, M.D., from Parents Magazine

A few water safety tips to remember…

  • It takes just minutes for a child to die underwater
  • Don’t be overconfident in your child because they “know how to swim” (the doggy paddle is not swimming)
  • Don’t assume because adults are around that your children are “safe”
  • Designate a “water watcher” to keep an eye on all children in the pool
  • Learn CPR with mouth-to-mouth breathing

Did you know…

  • Five to ten percent of drowning survivors suffer permanent brain damage
  • Drowning can occur in an instant, remember, a lifeguard is watching so many people at once that he can miss something that happens so fast
  • Drowning can be silent. Unlike what we’ve seen in movies, children do not always flail their arms around and scream for help

FREE Water Safety WALLPAPER:  Upload this wallpaper image on your mobile phone to remind you to keep your eyes on the pool, not on your phone.

Download FREE Wallpaper

Hacienda HealthCare provides Safety Kits to members of the community to engage families in learning more about water safety with fun, educational materials.

*Source: 2018 Phoenix Drowning Incidents To Date (updated 7/9/18), Total Incidents: 27 (6 adults / 21 children), Total Fatalities: 6 (4 adults / 2 children); https://www.phoenix.gov/fire/safety-information/home/water

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