Summer Fun in the sun is here and that means lots of kids splashing into area pools and lakes. Who is watching your children in the pool or in the lake? More importantly, who is not watching them drown? Trophy Club is again partnering with Cook Children’s “Lifeguard Your Child” program to ensure that everyone has a safe summer.
Practicing water safety, especially where children are concerned, is vitally important because drowning is the number one cause of death among kids under the age of 5. Texas also leads the nation in child pool drownings. That’s why it is so important to get this water safety message out now that summer is here.
Lifeguard Your Child has created a list of water safety prevention tips as well as a laminated bracelet tag for adults to wear at the pool. The “Water Watcher” bracelet signifies that you are on an “active watch” while at the pool. It’s more than just being present; it’s actively watching your child, and other children, with no distractions. You can pick up one of these bracelets at the TC Fire Station, contact Anita Otterson in person or via email at [email protected] to get yours today.
Safety experts say following safety precautions around residential pools or any body of water, such as lakes and water parks, can prevent drownings. They say the best way is to think in layers of protection. The more layers of protection you have the safer your child will be.
Drowning prevention around the pool begins with adult supervision, but there are other steps parents can take at home to help protect their children from drowning. Here are suggested layers of protection for your child:
- Make sure children are wearing life vests that are U.S. Coast Guard-approved
- Make sure your backyard pool has a fence around it with a self-latching gate
- Designate non-distracted “Water Watchers”
- Update and maintain pool drains and cleaning systems
- Know cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Have your child take swimming and water safety lessons
- Have pool/door/child alarms installed
- Have a list of pool rules posted
Drownings and near-drownings are 8 times more likely to happen to children that don’t know how to swim or are being supervised by adults that don’t know how to swim.
Trophy Club Fire Chief J. Taylor says. “We hope this campaign sends a clear message to parents and adults when they are at the pool or lake. Adult supervision is critical to the safety of a child in the water and is the difference between life and death for many kids.”
Check locally to find out where you can sign up your kids for swimming lessons and CPR classes. The Town of Trophy Club wants everyone to have a fun and safe summer. For more information visit LifeguardYourChild.org