PHOENIX — Drowning is often called the silent killer, and it happens more often than you might think. 150 families across the nation are impacted by drowning and water-related incidents every week.
To date this year, 18 people have died from drowning in Arizona: 14 adults and four children, according to the Phoenix Fire Department. Those numbers are often driven by neglect and unexpected situations.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Estadísticas sobre la seguridad en el agua en Arizona
Here's a look at the yearly statistics:
- 3,600 children every year in our country suffer from near-drowning injuries
- Almost 90% of child drowning happens in backyard pools, hot tubs and spas.
- 69% of children that drown were not expected to be in the pool that day.
- 47% of children that drown were last seen in the house, 5 minutes before they drown.
- 31% of children that drown were last seen in the yard, 5 minutes before they drown.
- 77% of children that drown are out of sight less than 5 minutes.
- 33% of children that drown in a pool, don’t drown at home.
- There are 6,400 spa injuries reported nationwide each year for children under 15.
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Drowning Prevention Tips:
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children between ages 1-4 aside from birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three children die every day as a result of drowning. Here are some tips from the CDC on how to protect children around water:
Learn life-saving skills.
Everyone should know the basics of swimming (floating, moving through the water) and CPR.
Fence it off.
Install a four–sided isolation fence, with self–closing and self–latching gates, around backyard swimming pools. This can help keep children away from the area when they aren’t supposed to be swimming. Pool fences should be completely separate the house and play area from the pool.
Life jackets are a must.
Make sure kids wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water, such as lakes or the ocean, even if they know how to swim. Life jackets can be used in and around pools for weaker swimmers too.
Keep a close watch
When kids are in or near water (including bathtubs), closely supervise them at all times. Because drowning happens quickly and quietly, adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading books, talking on the phone, or using alcohol and drugs.
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