Make Water Safety a Top Priority This Summer

By Trisha Gedon, Oklahoma State University

First posted on 06-24-2010

Now that summer is in full swing, many Oklahoma families are making plans to hit the pool or local lake in an effort to stay cool.

If your plans include being around a body of water, make sure you take extra precautions, especially with younger children, said Debbie Richardson, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension parenting assistant specialist.

“Accidents around water can occur very quickly. In fact, most child drowning victims were out of their parents’ sight for less than five minutes,” Richardson said. “Children, especially those less than 5 years old, are vulnerable to submersion injuries (drowning and near drowning) because they haven’t developed the knowledge, reasoning, understanding, physical strength and coordination to recognize their risks and how to handle themselves in water. Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death among children ages 1 to 14. ”

Most children under the age of 5 do not know how to swim. Even if a child that age has taken swimming lessons, it should never be assumed the child would be able to save himself in the event of an emergency situation.

Richardson pointed out that young children are dependent upon adults who know how to maintain a safe environment around the water and also know rescue and resuscitation methods should the need arise.

While swimming pools, oceans, ponds and lakes pose a danger for children under the age of 5, any collection of water can be risky.

“Any place water can gather, such as a bucket, basin or sink can be dangerous. However, bathtubs and swimming pools pose the greatest risk for children 5 years old or younger in Oklahoma,” she said.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reports that between 1988 and 2006, a total of 2,153 Oklahomans suffered a fatal or hospitalized submersion injury. Of those, 1,518 victims died. Children between the ages of 0 and 4 accounted for 591 submersions, including 125 bathtub and 289 swimming pool submersion injuries.

While some people may think of drowning as the only danger in a swimming pool, keep in mind that pool decking is usually made of concrete or other hard surface. A slip or fall could be extremely painful and dangerous, so it is important to walk, not run, around a pool.

If you are going to try to beat the heat at a nearby lake or pond, be extra cautious as you most likely cannot see the bottom. This makes it difficult to determine how deep the water is.

“Murky water can hide jagged rocks, broken bottles or other debris that can scratch and cut a person swimming in a pond or lake,” she said. “It’s a good idea to wear some type of water shoes.”

Richardson said it is important for everyone to keep in mind that drowning can occur in a variety of circumstances – during water recreation or when a young child is left unsupervised for even just a few seconds in the bathtub or around the home with access to pools and hot tubs.

“A child can drown in as little as one inch of water, and drowning is usually quick and silent. A child will lose consciousness two minutes after submersion, with irreversible brain damage occurring within four to six minutes,” she said.

Every home with a pool should have layers of protection in an effort to keep children safe. These layers include placing a barrier around the pool to prevent access, using pool alarms, closely supervising every child and being prepared in the event of an emergency. Keep safety equipment by the pool, along with a cordless phone and emergency numbers posted.

Pool fences or surrounding walls should be a minimum of four feet high and completely surround the pool. Gates in the fence or walls need to be self-closing and self-latching. Also, the handles on the gates should be out of the reach of small children.

“Remember that even small wading pools can be dangerous for children who are not properly supervised. Children should be supervised at all times. When the wading pool is not in use, empty the water out of it,” Richardson said. “Spending time in the water during the summer can be a lot of fun as long as you keep safety in mind.”

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