There is no better way to beat the heat and the South Carolina summers than to take a dip in a sparkling, cool pool. Swimming pools can be heavenly, especially for families. Swimming pools provide great exercise, hours of fun in the sun, and they get kids away from sedentary activities like playing video games or watching TV.
The problem is, swimming pools can be deadly for young children, intoxicated individuals, and non-swimmers alike. As the weather gets warmer and people start swimming again, emergency room doctors see an uptick in drownings, near-drownings, and swimming pool accidents that lead to oxygen deprivation, traumatic brain injuries, and broken arms and legs – scary stuff!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- Between the years 2005 and 2014, each year there were an average of 3,536 fatal drowning accidents – that’s roughly 10 deaths per a day.
- Of the people who die from drowning, about one in five deaths involves a child age 14 or younger.
- Over 50 percent of the drowning victims treated in ERs require hospitalization, or they have to be transferred for additional care. According to the CDC, the average hospitalization rate for all accidental injuries is 6 percent.
(Source: CDC)
How Can I Prevent Swimming Pool Accidents?
While thousands of people die each year from drowning, it is the one type of accident that is almost always preventable. Here is our advice:
- Learn how to swim and more importantly, teach your children how to swim! Teaching your children how to become good swimmers is the single, most effective thing you can do to protect them from drowning.
- Teach children NOT to dive in shallow water. This can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries (paralysis), and broken bones.
- Do not let children swim while unsupervised.
- Do not rely on lifeguards alone. If your child cannot swim well, or if they cannot swim at all, you must provide an extra set of eyes and ears. Lifeguards miss drowning children on a regular basis.
- Do not swim while under the influence of alcohol.
- Do not let your children swim while you are intoxicated by alcohol. If so, you may have too many drinks and miss a drowning child.
- Do not engage in distracting activities while watching your children swim, such as texting or reading.
- If you have small children, install a locking gate around your pool so your children can’t accidentally fall in.
- NEVER let your children ride on a boat without a lifejacket.
- If you’re at a party or apartment building with a pool and you have small children, keep them close by and don’t let them wander by the water.
Swimming pools can be a blast in the summer, whether they’re at a hotel, a waterpark, a country club, or your backyard. However, a sparkling pool can quickly turn into a nightmare when somebody gets hurt. So, follow our tips and stay safe this summer!