Water parks, municipal swimming pools and other indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities will be designating a day next week as “Pool Safely Day,” scheduling special events to remind everyone about pool safety. The events will be held in conjunction with the Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives campaign.
TheAmerican Red Cross is partnering with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on the campaign. Pool Safely works with partners around the country to reduce child drownings, near-drownings, submersions and entrapment incidents in swimming pools and spas. Parents, caregivers, and the media are encouraged to visit PoolSafely.gov or @PoolSafely on Twitter for vital safety information regarding the prevention of child submersions in and around pools and spas.
This year, the campaign focus is on populations most at risk of drowning - children younger than 5 years old and African American and Hispanic children between the ages of five and 14. Almost 75 percent of child drowning fatalities involve young children under five. Statistics also show 70 percent of African American children and 62 percent of Hispanic children cannot swim, making them especially vulnerable around pools.
SIMPLE STEPS Whether you’re taking a dip in the pool or enjoying a day at the beach, the Red Cross encourages safety. Some easy and simple steps to take when at or near a swimming pool include:
Ideally, you should learn to swim before enjoying the water. Here are some steps to take to enjoy your summer water fun:
WATCH CHILDREN AT ALL TIMES With children, constant supervision is key. Keep them in your line of sight at all times when enjoying the pool. Other steps to take include:
Download the American Red Cross Water Safety Tips PDF
NEW STATISTICS released by CPSC include:
For the complete reports see: Pool and Spa Submersions 2012 (pdf) and Circulation/Suction Entrapments 2012 (pdf). The years for reported injury and fatality statistics differ due to a lag in fatality reporting.
About CPSC:
CPSC is an independent federal regulatory agency created by Congress in 1972 “to protect the public against unreasonable risks of injuries and deaths associated with consumer products.” The Pool Safely campaign is CPSC’s national information and education program associated with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (P&SS Act). The Pool Safely campaign is designed to raise public awareness about drowning and entrapment prevention, support industry compliance with safety standards, and improve safety at pools and spas. The Pool Safely campaign is proud to partner with leading organizations, including Abbey's Hope, American Red Cross, Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), Association of Pool and Spa Professionals (APSP), Infant Swimming Resource, National Aquatic Safety Company (NASCO), National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA), National Swimming Pool Foundation, Safe Kids USA, United States Swim School Association, USA Swimming Foundation, World Waterpark Association (WWA), and The YMCA of the USA. For more information, visit the website at PoolSafely.gov and follow the campaign on Twitter @poolsafely.