Georgia, Albany area public health promoting water safety campaign

ALBANY — When summer vacations begin, families often seek relief from heat in pools, creeks, lakes and other bodies of water.

“Swimming and water recreation are wonderful exercise,” said Southwest Public Health District Health Director Dr. Jacqueline Grant. “However, we in Public Health urge families to take the proper steps to ensure fun doesn’t turn to tragedy as a result of unintentional drowning.”

As an intervention to reduce water-related child deaths and injuries, Georgia officials have created “SPLASH” as an all-encompassing water safety campaign. The initiative is meant to encourage Georgians to follow six techniques when enjoying activities at pools, lakes, beaches and other bodies of water.

— Supervision. There should always be an adult present when a child is around water, and they must have their eyes on the child at all times.

— Prevention. Fences and gates around pools are among the barriers that help keep children away from water. Drain covers can prevent entrapment in pools, and hot tub drains and broken or loose covers should be fixed immediately.

— Look before you leap. Always be aware of surroundings. Before jumping into any bodies of water, especially lakes and rivers, take note of how deep it is.

— Arms-length (Safe rescue). Adults should be arms-length to children in water to ensure safe rescue. If a child is in danger, safety tools such as a life float or life hook should be nearby at all times. Those who cannot swim should not jump in the water.

— Swim lessons. Learning how to swim with lessons can prevent a lot of water-related accidents. Classes can be found in communities through places such as an American Red Cross or YMCA facility.

— Have a water safety plan. A family can work together to come up with their own water safety plan so everyone will know what to do in case an emergency arises.

“Unintentional drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” Grant said. “The demographic most at risk for drowning are children 1 through 4.”

Georgia’s Child Fatality Review Panel’s 2013 Annual Report, the most recent available data, shows there were 129 child drowning deaths from 2009 to 2012, with an average of 32 per year in Georgia. Drowning comprised 15 percent of unintentional injury-related deaths among the state’s child population.

“Safety should be your top priority when children are playing around water,” Grant said. “With SPLASH’s simple tips, you can keep your family safe while having fun in the sun.”

Data from the Georgia Department of Public Health Office of Health Indicators or Planning showed that in 2013, the most recent numbers available, there were three deaths by drowning in the 14-county Southwest Public Health District. Of those, two were individuals at age 17 or younger.