http://www.today.com/parents/drowning-silent-nightmare-day-pool-t23881?cid=sm_fbn

Read the article in the link above.  I cannot stress enough how important it is to watch your children around pools, hot tubs, creeks, streams, rivers, ponds, the Ocean, even bathtubs and buckets.  Drowning can happen, anytime, anywhere there is water.

Drowning is the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion/immersion in liquid; outcomes are classified as death, morbidity and no morbidity.

Key facts

• Drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths.
• There are an estimated 372 000 annual drowning deaths worldwide.
• Global estimates may significantly underestimate the actual public health problem related to drowning.
• Children, males and individuals with increased access to water are most at risk of drowning.
  (taken from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs347/en/)

Prevent Drowning.

• Teach your children about water safety.
• Enroll your children in swim lessons and expose them to water in a safe environment.
• Always have eyes on your children around bodies of water.  If you are at a family gathering assign one family member as a water guardian to be responsible for each child.  If that person needs to move to a different area where they will no longer be able to see the child near the water verbally/physically pass on assignment of a new water guardian for the child. Touch the person, look the new person in the eyes and say “I have to go to the bathroom, you are responsible for watching Sam until I come back and relieve you.”  Often at family gatherings people relax and assume someone has eyes on the children, when this is often not the case.
• Decrease access to water by installing barriers.  Install fencing around pools and hot tubs and install alarms on any doors or windows that have pool access.
• Make sure you are up to date on your CPR/First Aid training. (I myself am signing up for a refresher after I finish typing this article)
• Make sure to use Life Jackets when appropriate.
• Use the buddy system when swimming, don’t swim alone.

Please be safe this summer (and year round).

Cheers and Blessings!

For another great read:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Drowning-Swimming-Drown-Water-Pool-Beach-15-Things-You-Need-to-Know-This-Summer-about-the-Fifth-Leading-Cause-of-Death–263491391.html