Last Updated on September 27, 2015 by Alex Brown-Hinds
My sister Lynn recently shared a few photos with me of her three granddaughters at a water safety event held at the Rialto Racquet & Fitness Center. The event, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of East Rialto and the city’s Recreation and Community Services Department, was designed to teach basic swim lessons and floating techniques to the children of Rialto.
Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old and the third leading cause of death among children. And for every child who dies from drowning another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries, something my sister knows all to well since she’s worked in an emergency room for 20 years.
The weather is warming-up here in the IE and our kids are ready to jump in the nearest pool, so make sure the children in your life learn how to be water safe. Here are some top tips from the organization Safekids:
• Never leave your child unattended around water. It sounds strict, but there is no room for compromise on this one.
• Put the cell phone away, forget about all the other things you have to do and give young children 100 percent of your attention when they are near or around water.
• Empty all tubs, buckets, containers and wading pools immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children’s reach.
• Parents have a million things to do, but learning CPR should be on the top of the list. It will give you tremendous peace of mind – and the more peace of mind you have as a parent, the better.
For additional safety tips visit: www.safekids.org/watersafety
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