PHOENIX — A child can get away in an instant.
Dave Munsey, a longtime Arizona meteorologist and water safety advocate said that's why parents must keep their heads on a swivel.
"When you can't find your child, check the pool first," he said on a recent water safety segment on 12News.
Munsey is teaming up with Amazon and 12News to emphasize the importance of water safety – even in the winter.
"Cold water drownings are the worst," he said.
Munsey spent decades signing off from weather segments with a reminder to parents to watch their children around water.
He said the reminders are personal.
"Water safety with me started with the death of a friend's son," Munsey said. "They lost their son Timmy who would be 45 years old this year. That shows you how long we've been doing this sorta stuff. He was 2 when we lost him."
Munsey said while there are a lot of tools out there that help with safety, such as fences, locks and cameras, parents and caregivers must watch kids around water.
Water Safety/Drowning Prevention Resources
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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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