The Anaheim Fire Department has declared May as Drowning Prevention and Awareness Month.  Tragically, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children under the age of five.  A drowning can happen in seconds and typically occurs when a child is left unattended or during a brief lapse in supervision.   You may think you will hear a splash or cry for help, but children drown without making a sound.  Drowning is a silent event.

A drowning can occur in a swimming pool, spa, lake and the ocean.  However, children can drown in as little as two inches of water and are therefore at risk of drowning in wading pools, bathtubs, diaper pails, toilets or any standing water in which a child’s nose and mouth may be submersed. Look around your home for unsuspecting areas of water where children may be at risk. Never leave a child alone near water for any reason, even for a few seconds.

A child loses consciousness in 20 seconds or less and irreversible brain damage occurs after four to six minutes.  Always, check the pool area first if a child is missing. 

The Anaheim Fire Department offers presentations on drowning prevention and includes the dangers and causes of childhood drownings. This program is available to anyone in our community in both English and Spanish. To schedule a drowning prevention program call the Community Relations Section at (714) 765-4012. Together we can make a difference.

Prevent Childhood Drownings

•  Install a non-climbable five-foot fence that separates the pool/spa from the residence. 
• Keep all items that can be used for climbing away from the fence.
• Install self-closing, self-latching fence gates with latches above a child’s reach (54” inches high).  Gates should open outward, away from the pool 
• Install alarms on doors and windows leading to the water that are five feet above ground level so children cannot reach them. 
• Assign a water watcher who knows how to swim and will supervise by maintaining constant visual contact with children in the pool.  Assign a second adult to assist in watching the children and who can tend to their individual needs. 
• Don’t rely on swimming lessons, life preserves or other equipment to make your pool “child safe.”  There is no replacement for adult supervision. 
• Learn CPR, how to swim and rescue techniques.