Orange County Health Department Florida Department of Health
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>General Health >Community Health >Injury Prevention >Drowning Prevention
Drowning Prevention
Drowning is the number one cause of death for children under age 5 in the state of Florida. It is important for everyone to understand that drowning can occur anytime of the year- especially here in the “Sunshine State”.
“All it takes is a matter of seconds and a child can drown. In fact, children can drown in any body of water including bathtubs, buckets and even toilets. It is our responsibility as adults and parents to constantly supervise our children,” said Dr. Kevin M. Sherin, Director of the Orange County Health Department.
Having a pool or a body of water near the home increases a child’s risk of drowning. It is strongly encouraged that pool owners with children use “layers of safety” by:
- Supervising children at all time
- Providing proper fencing and covering
- Keeping pool properly cleaned and maintained
- Placing alarms in all entrances to the pool area
- Having rescue equipment
- Teaching children water safety and survival or swimming skills
- Learning rescue techniques such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
- Keeping an emergency phone near the pool
Pool owners have the responsibility to educate themselves and to make sure their pool meets all safety requirements necessary to prevent a loss of life.