According to the WA Department of health, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children and teens ages 1 to 17 in our state. In 2013 there were 103 unintentional drowning deaths to Washington residents of all ages; 13 of these were of children younger than 18 years old. All of these are unintentional which means they are preventable. Know your surroundings and know how to swim.
Typically, hotels/motels do not provide lifeguards, so never leave children unattended. If you have a home pool or travel you should take a Water Safety education class from the Red cross so you know how to prevent drowning and what to do in case of an emergency. Anyone who does not know how to swim or is a weak swimmer should wear a US Coast Guard approved life-jacket, no matter how deep the water.
It only takes 1” of water to drown.
General Water Safety Guidelines:
- Learn to swim
- Take a water safety class, learn first aid and CPR
- If boating in the State of WA – you must have a Boater Education Card
- ALWAYS supervise children on, in or around water
- Do not drink alcohol while swimming or boating
- Do not attempt a rescue unless you have specialized training and/or equipment
- Be aware of your surroundings and potential water hazards
- Pay attention to the weather and tide tables
- Know the temperature of the water to prevent hypothermia
Most boating accidents are caused by the operator, not by the boat or the water environment. Approximately 80% of boating fatalities in the US are due to drowning and most would have been prevented if the boater had been wearing a US Coast Guard approved life-jacket. Because of this, Washington State implemented a new law in 2008 requiring anyone ‘operating a powered watercraft of 15hp or greater to take a safety education course and obtain a Boater Education Card to operate a boat in Washington’. For more information on this program you can go to www.boat-ed.com. Before going on vacation or going to a local lake for a picnic, make sure everyone knows how to be safe in/near the water and pass the information on to other family and friends. Let’s prevent drowning everywhere.
Contributed by Stephanie Dyck, Office Supervisor, Evergreen Safety Council
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