THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 8, 1996 TAG: 9608070108
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 47 lines
Water safety starts with never leaving small children unattended around any body of water - pool, bathtub, lake or large buckets of water.
A frightening statistic one study reported was that there were 11 Virginia youngsters drowned in a bathtub between 1989 and 1994. Six of them were 2 years old or younger. In each of these six cases, a parent, relative or other adult was responsible for the child at the time but left the room momentarily.
Small children do not think of water as a danger and they are, by nature, very curious. Being left alone in or around water without supervision is dangerous.
A study published by the Virginia Department of Health reviewed the number of children drowned. The researchers found that children under 5 and adolescents between 15 and 19 years had the highest rates of drowning. Children under 5 represent 26 percent of the population of children under 19, yet accounted for 36 percent of all the drownings in the study.
Be aware of streams, creeks, ponds and ditches that may be located on or near your property. Make certain that a responsible adult knows the whereabouts of small children at all times if there is any water nearby. If a child is missing, search the water areas first to save valuable seconds.
Standing water left in buckets, wading pools, bathtubs, toilets and other places can be dangerous. Do not leave water unattended in buckets. Empty the containers immediately when not in use and store them away from small children. Learn CPR especially if you own a pool or live near water. Encourage older children and adolescents to learn how to swim. Swimming lessons are no substitute for supervision of young children in and around water, and no one should ever swim alone.
Teach children and adolescents to avoid drinking alcoholic beverages especially if they plan to engage in recreational water activities.
Make sure approved personal flotation devices are worn by all passengers in watercraft or by anyone who is unable to swim or unsure of their swimming abilities.
Swimming pools should be enclosed by a fence that is at least 5 feet high. The fence gate should have a self-closing, self-latching mechanism, which is located on the side of the gate closest to the pool and out of reach of small children. Make sure reaching and throwing aids are readily available near water. MEMO: For more information, contact Mary Ann H. Johnson, ARE
Communications, Virginia Tech, at (540) 231-6975 or by E-mail at
JNAYRAM(AT)vt.edu. by CNB