Public health officials urge water safety

May 26--ALBANY -- When school vacations begin, families often seek relief from Georgia's summer heat in pools, creeks, lakes and other bodies of water.

"Swimming and water recreation are wonderful exercise," says Southwest Health District Health Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant. "However, we in Public Health urge families to take the proper steps to ensure fun doesn't turn to tragedy as a result of unintentional drowning."

As an intervention to reduce water-related child deaths and injuries, Georgia has created SPLASH as an all-encompassing water safety campaign, Grant said.

The initiative encourages Georgians to follow six key techniques when enjoying activities at pools, lakes, beaches and other bodies of water.

--Supervision -- There should always be an adult present when a child is around water, and they must have their eyes on the child at all times.

--Prevention -- Fences and gates around pools are among the barriers that help keep children away from water. Drain covers can prevent entrapment in pool and hot tub drains and broken or loose covers should be fixed immediately.

--Look before you leap -- Always be aware of your surroundings. Before jumping into any bodies of water, especially lakes and rivers, take note of how deep it is.

--Arms-length (Safe rescue) -- Adults should be arms-length to children in water to ensure safe rescue. If a child is in danger, safety tools such as a life float or life hook should be nearby at all times. Do not jump into the water if you cannot swim.

--Swim lessons -- Learning how to swim with lessons can prevent a lot of water-related accidents. Find classes in your community or your local Red Cross or YMCA.

--Have a water safety plan -- A family can work together to come up with their own water safety plan so everyone will know what to do in case an emergency arises.

"Unintentional drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," Grant said. "The demographic most at risk for drowning are children 1 through 4."

Georgia's Child Fatality Review Panel's 2013 Annual Report (the most recent available data) shows there were 129 child drowning deaths from 2009 to 2012, with an average of 32 per year in Georgia. Drowning comprised 15 percent of unintentional injury-related deaths among the state's child population.

"Safety should be your top priority when children are playing around water," Grant said. "With SPLASH's simple tips, you can keep your family safe while having fun in the sun."

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