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FACT: Drowning is the second-leading cause of injury-related death among Canadian children.
FACT: A child can drown in as little as 2.5 centimetres (one inch) of water, and drowning is usually quick and silent.
Swimming pools provide countless hours of summertime recreation and family fun. However, pools are a tremendous responsibility and require strict safety practices. According to Safe Kids Canada, nearly 60 Canadian children die annually from drowning, equivalent to two classrooms of kids.
Tragically, over 60 per cent of all children who drown are under age four. In addition, nearly 70 per cent of children under age five who have drowned were not expected to be in or near the pool at the time of the drowning; nearly half were thought to be inside the house.
“Unfortunately, when drowning occurs, it happens quickly, which means the window of opportunity for rescuing a potential victim is short,” says Saskia Matheson of Allstate Canada. “To avoid accidents, it’s important to discuss pool rules and safety measures with your family, and to make sure everyone, including guests, know the rules before they are in and around the pool.”
To help ensure a safe and enjoyable summer at the pool, here are some tips from Allstate Insurance Company of Canada:
Never leave your child alone or out of eye contact while he or she is in or near the pool. Children lose consciousness after being submerged in water for only two minutes. Irreversible brain damage occurs after only four to six minutes. It’s also a good idea to keep a phone poolside so you won’t have to leave children unsupervised to make or answer a call.
Always use approved personal flotation devices, rather than inflatable toys, to keep your child afloat. Don’t consider younger children “drown proof” because they’ve had swimming lessons. Children under the age of three should be kept within arm’s reach of an adult while in or around the pool.
All residential pools should be completely enclosed by a fence that stands at least 1.2 metres high and has a self-closing and self-latching gate. Avoid fences with vertical bars spaced more than 10 centimetres apart and chain-link fences that are easy to climb. Keep patio furniture away from the fence so kids can’t use it to boost themselves over the fence.
Keep basic lifesaving equipment on the pool deck at all times. These include a strong, lightweight pole (3 to 3.6 metres) and a ring buoy with a line attached. Also keep emergency phone numbers (police, fire, hospital, rescue squad/paramedics, etc.) on hand. A good recommendation for adults that will provide poolside supervision is to take a CPR course.
Enroll children in a learn-to-swim or water safety course. These courses encourage safe practices. The decision to provide your children with an early aquatic experience will benefit them for life.
Keep toys away from the pool when not in use. Toys can attract young children to the pool.
For more information on pool safety or to speak with Saskia Matheson, Allstate’s official spokesperson, please contact:
Jennifer Fox
Thornley Fallis Communications
(416) 515-7517, ext. 350
fox@thornleyfallis.com
