Are you and your children safe? The Facts:

Drowning remains the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in this age group and the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4. The majority of drownings and near-drownings occur in residential swimming pools and in open water sites. However, children can drown in as little as 1 inch of water and are therefore at risk of drowning in wading pools, bathtubs, buckets, diaper pails, toilets, spas and hot tubs.

Drowning usually occurs quickly and silently. Childhood drownings and near-drownings can happen in a matter of seconds and typically occur when a child is left unattended or during a brief lapse in supervision. Two minutes following submersion, a child will lose consciousness. Irreversible brain damage occurs after four to six minutes and determines the immediate and long-term survival of a child.

The majority of children who survive (92 percent) are discovered within two minutes following submersion, and most children who die (86 percent) are found after 10 minutes. Nearly all who require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) die or are left with severe brain injury.

You can greatly reduce the chances of you or your children becoming drowning or near-drowning victims by following safety tips:

• Whenever young children are swimming, playing, or bathing in water, make sure an adult is constantly watching them. By definition this means that the supervising adult should not read or talk on the phone or do any other distracting activity while watching children.

• Never swim alone or in unsupervised places. Teach children to always swim with a buddy.

• Keep small children away from buckets containing liquid: 5-gallon industrial containers are a particular danger. Be sure to empty buckets when household chores are done.

• Never drink alcohol during or just before swimming, boating, or water skiing. Never drink alcohol while supervising children. Teach teenagers about the danger of drinking alcohol and swimming, boating, or water skiing. Be a good safety role model.

• To prevent choking, never chew gum or eat while swimming, diving, or playing in water.

• Learn to swim. Enroll yourself and/or your children aged 4 and older in swimming classes. Swimming classes are not recommended for children under age 4.

• Learn CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation). This is particularly important for pool owners and individuals who regularly participate in water recreation.

• Do NOT use air-filled swimming aids (such as "water wings") in place of life jackets or life preservers with children. These can give parents and children a false sense of security and increase the risk of drowning.

• Check the water depth before entering. Officials recommend 9 feet as a minimum depth for diving or jumping.

• Install four-sided isolation fencing, at least 5 feet high, and equipped with self-closing and self-latching gates. Fencing should completely surround swimming pools or spas and prevent direct access from a house or yard

Courtesy of the El Cajon Fire Department’s Monica Zech, Safety Educator – (619) 441-1615