Birmingham, Ala. (June 21, 2023) — June 21 marks the first day of summer, meaning more families will spend time in the water. Safety experts say this can be a fun and exciting time, but it can also be dangerous for children.
“Drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages one to four,” said Marie Crew, the director of the Health Education and Safety Center. “We definitely need to educate parents on how to keep children safe when they are in or near the water.”
Among young children, most drownings happen in home pools or hot tubs. In teenagers, drownings are more likely to happen in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Safety experts say it happens fast and is usually silent. Crew says there are several things parents can do to keep their children safe.
“You should always have your child in a Coast Guard-approved life vest,” said Crew. “You want to make sure it is weight and age-appropriate for your child, and they are always wearing it around water.”
Crew says another way to ensure your child’s safety at the pool or at the beach is by having a water watcher. A water watcher is a responsible adult who agrees to watch the children in the water without distractions. The water watcher should not use a cell phone, socialize, drink alcohol, or do anything that might be distracting. Crew also advises families to swim where there is a lifeguard and always talk to the lifeguard before getting into the water.
“Evaluate the water itself, look at it, and see if there are any signs of a rip current because if there are signs, you definitely don’t want your children swimming in that,” said Crew. “The water will be a different color, and it will not be churning as much.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that can be seen along the East, West, and Gulf coasts of the United States. Each year, lifeguards rescue thousands of people from rip currents, and it is estimated that about 100 people die each year from rip currents. Crew says the first thing to remember if you are ever caught in a rip current is to remain calm.
“A rip current will not pull them under; it will put them out,” said Crew. “Once they enter the ocean, they can swim parallel to the shore, away from the rip current. If they can’t swim back to land, they should be yelling for help, making themselves known so people on the beach can see them.”
Crew says many people drown because they go into the water to help someone caught in a rip current. She says only emergency people must go into the water. She also advises parents to know what the color of the beach flags means.
“All public beaches have flags that tell you the water conditions,” said Crew. “They can be green to yellow, to red and purple. If the flag is not green, you need to be cautious and not let children go into the water if they are not good swimmers. Anytime it is yellow or above, it is better to play on the beach and enjoy the sand.”
For more information on outdoor water safety, including swimming at lakes and boating and jet ski safety, click here.
