An Important Water Safety Message: Watch Your Children
Posted by Derek Eversdyke, Director of Facility Safety Products | 17th Oct 2016
At last week’s YMCA Risk Management Conference, a powerful new public service announcement to prevent child drownings and encourage active supervision in and around water was shared – one that we should all be more aware of. The PSA comes from Abbey’s Hope Charitable Foundation, an organization who works to fulfill the wish of Abbey Taylor, a six year old who died due to injuries from a wading pool drain. Her hope was that no child would suffer like she did as the result of an improperly maintained pool. As shown in this impactful video, a drowning can happen quickly – in a matter of only seconds.
In nearly all water environments, children must be closely supervised by parents or other designated adults. Industry statistics tell us that almost 90 percent of child drowning deaths occur with an adult nearby.
What steps can be taken to increase safety for children? According to Abbey’s Hope, key water safety tips include:
- Make sure children are always closely supervised both in the pool and in the pool area.
- If you’re in a group, appoint a designated “water watcher” and take turns with other adults.
- While supervising, stay alert and avoid distractions like reading or the telephone.
- Keep toys away from the pool when the pool is not being used since toys can attract children to the pool area.
- Remind kids to stay away from pool and hot tub drains.
- Keep gates to the pool area latched.
When it comes to supervision and being aware of other critical safety messages, well-designed safety signs provide a critical layer of protection to help keep young swimmers safer. Clarion’s “Watch Your Children” signs are an essential part of your water safety sign system. With their symbols, color-coding and messaging, they help to remind adults of their supervisory responsibility for their children when they’re in and around water. For more information, visit our Learning Center or contact us today to discuss your pool and how we can work together on your safety challenges to better protect children.