How To Prevent Child Drownings
Drowning is the major reason for dying in Arizona in children below four years old. (See Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona)
There is no single solution suggested to prevent drownings. What is recommended is a 3-step approach: “Block, Watch and Learn.”
Step One: Block.
Block entry to the water. Shut bathroom doors so babies won’t drown in toilets. Block the pool with a barrier such as a fence or pool cover.
Step Two: Watch.
Strict supervision must be exercised near all the water. Nearly all drownings take place in buckets, bathtubs, toilets, pools, ponds, and lakes.
Step Three: Learn.
Learn to swim and Learn CPR. All children need to take swimming lessons also.
A Phoenix Basic CPR Class can make the difference between Life and Death to someone you love. Anyone that has a child in their care must take CPR courses and take refresher courses every two years.
When you take CPR Training you will learn to administer CPR to Children, Infants, and Adults as per the guidelines established by the American Heart Association( AHA).
Sorry to say, when a child drowns first responders such as Paramedics, Firefighters and EMT’s are the first to give CPR. Lots of people are hesitant to administer CPR for fear of doing it improperly or injuring the child further. If your boy or girl drowns, every second counts. You must not wait around for EMT’s to arrive to start CPR. Every minute that goes by lessens the likelihood of survival. CPR is more successful when given within the 1st five minutes after the patient stops breathing. How long will it take for EMT’s to arrive? Five minutes? Ten minutes? If this is your boy or girl, can you afford to not know CPR?