.da_story_info span
{
color: #333333;
}
Six Tips to Save Your Child from Drowning
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- --
Three children die every day from drowning.
It's the leading cause of death from an injury for children ages 1-4 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Mid-summer is prime time for water fun, but it can also be deadly, if parents aren't careful.
The Red Cross Summer Water Safety Guide states more than 90 percent of families with young children will spend time in the water this summer. And almost half of them plan to swim in places with no lifeguard.
What does this mean?
You need to take responsibility for your children's safety around water. Here are six tips from the Red Cross and the CDC to keep your children safe:
1. Learn CPR. Seconds count if your child falls into the water. You could be the life-saving support until paramedics arrive. Contact your local Red Cross chapter or your local fire department to learn when CPR classes are available.
2. Supervise your children constantly around water. NEVER leave the supervision to an older child, and avoid distractions yourself when watching your kids. This includes around bathtubs, swimming pools and natural bodies of water--such as the ocean or a lake.
3. Secure pools with proper barriers. Install a four-sided fence around your pool. It should have self-closing AND self-latching gates.
4. Always wear life jackets. Even if your kids know how to swim, they should always wear life jackets around natural bodies of water, such as the ocean or lake. For younger or inexperienced swimmers, they should wear life jackets around ALL water, even pools.
5. Make sure everyone in your home knows how to swim. Have young kids? Enroll them in age-appropriate swim courses. And if you still need to learn, sign up for classes immediately.
6. Have lifesaving equipment available nearby. This includes reaching or throwing equipment (such as a lifesaver and rope), a cell phone, lifejackets and a first aid kit.
For more important water safety tips, visit www.triwest.com/watersafety.