The recent drowning of a five-year-old child in a swimming pool in a Durban North home and a toddler in the United States has once again brought into sharp relief the importance of securing your pool and pool area – and, most importantly, of adult supervision of young children around water.
According to a report in the Northglen News, the child who drowned had gone to the house with his father who was working at the property.
The child was found by emergency services unresponsive in the swimming pool and their attempts at resuscitating him were unsuccessful.
Weeks later, the 19-month-old daughter of Olympic alpine skier Bode Miller, Emeline, drowned in a residential pool in Orange County in California.
“There was nobody in the backyard, and unfortunately the little girl found a way into the backyard and the mom [Emeline’s mom Morgan] did everything she could,” fireman Capt. Steve Concialdi told today.com.
“As soon as she realised her daughter wasn’t next to her, she went straight for the pool, pulled her out immediately, but it just goes to show you how quick a child can drown without a sound,” he added.
A look at the image (above) of the house where the five-year-old drowned, courtesy of Crisis Medical, tells the sad tale.
It’s a tragic story that children’s lives are cut short because the layers of protection between the house and the pool that are necessary to prevent drownings are not in place.
These layers of protection refer to installing proper barriers, covers and alarms around your swimming pool, jacuzzi, fish pond and any other body of water that presents a drowning risk.
Young children, especially those between the ages of 1 and 4 are the most susceptible to fatal drowning incidents. At this age, they are naturally curious and are keen to explore and learn about the world around them.
According to Pool Safely, a national public education campaign in the US, some 74% of deaths of children younger than 15 happened at a residence.
More than half of the drownings occurred in an in-ground pool (54%), with 19% taking place in above ground pools (19%) and 4% in portable pools.
It’s these layers of protection that can be the difference between life and death for curious children.