‘NOT ON MY WATCH’
Drowning injuries and fatalities are so commonplace that the stories could fill up whole newspapers.
The CDC estimates that about 10 people die from drowning in the U.S. every day.
Children ages 1 through 4 have the highest drowning rates and most of those drownings happen in home swimming pools.
Drowning events are real, tragic, frequently preventable,and much more than just statistics.
There are measures that service technicians can take to promote drowning awareness.
Speak to parents about removing toys and other temptations from the pool area.
Encourage parents to learn about the layers of protection:pool covers, gates and alarms.
Remind parents there is no substitution for total supervision around the pool area.
Service professionals are in peoples’ backyards every day, and in a unique position to point out danger areas, but may not do so unless the drowning problem is brought home to them.
To that end, the following is a description of just some of the drowning incidents that have recently occurred.
Marietta, Georgia, July 7 —
3-year-old Aryanna ‘Ari’ Rice drowned in her home pool. Two men who were visiting the house discovered the girl, whom they initially believed to be a doll floating in the water.
Dallas, Texas, July 13 —
3-year-old Genesis Gregory, who was accompanying his uncle and grandfather to a job where they were providing lawncare, drowned in the property swimming pool after the uncle got stung by a bee and left the boy alone to get ointment.
Sarasota, Florida, July 14 —
A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after he was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected.
Hephzibah, Georgia, July 15 —
2-year-old Natalia Felix was pronounced dead at the hospital after she fell into a swimming pool.
James City County, Virginia, July 15 —
An 8-year-old drowned at the Greensprings Vacation Resort swimming pool where there was no lifeguard on duty.
Okaloosa County, Florida, July 17 —
A 1-year-old boy was in critical condition after drowning in a home swimming pool.
Osceola, Florida, July 19 —
A 1 1/2-year-old child was pronounced deceased after she was found unresponsive in the family’s jacuzzi when she got out of her crib and accessed the water undetected.
Kenner, Louisiana, July 20 —
1-year-old Nevaeh Fugate died after drowning in a mostly drained pool.
Her 4-year-old sibling said that a dog knocked her into the backyard pool near where they were playing.
Orange, Florida, July 20 —
A 2-year-old child was pronounced deceased two days after he was found unresponsive in the family’s swimming pool when he got out of the home undetected.
Eagan, Minnesota, July 20 —
A 5-year-old boy died in a neighborhood pool after going missing from his home at night. Responding officers found the boy in the pool.
Bergen County, New Jersey, July 21 —
A 4-year-old boy drowned in his home swimming pool.
Jacksonville, Florida, July 21 —
A 2-year-old girl drowned in a backyard swimming pool.
Antioch, Tennessee, July 25 —
3- year- old Isaac Leonardo drowned in a family member’s swimming pool that was near where he was playing.When his mother went to check on him she found him in the pool.
