Drowning Prevention

Drowning Prevention Tips at Home, Pool, or Other Sites:

• Learn to swim yourself and have your child learn to swim. Learn life-saving skills, including swimming basics and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• Be prepared. Have rescue equipment at home, post 9-1-1 emergency information, and think through an emergency action plan.
• Never leave a child unsupervised in a bathtub, even for a second. Most siblings are not old enough to properly supervise a young child in this situation.
• Never leave a child alone near a pool/spa, toilet, water-filled bucket, pond, or any standing body of water.
• Empty all tubs, buckets, containers and kiddie pools immediately after use. Store them upside down so they don’t collect water.
• upside down so they don’t collect water.
• Close toilet lids and use toilet seat locks to prevent drowning. Keep doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed.
• Make sure kids learn these five water survival skills and that they are able to:
  • step or jump into water over their heads and return to the surface;
  • float or tread water for one minute;
  • turn around in a full circle and find an exit;
  • swim 25 yards to exit the water; and
  • exit the water. If in a pool, be able to exit without using the ladder

• Teach children that swimming in open water is not the same as swimming in a pool. They need to be aware of uneven surfaces, river currents, ocean undertow and changing weather.
• An unclimbable, five-foot fence should separate the pool/spa from the residence. Fence openings should be no more than four inches wide so children cannot squeeze through the spaces.
• The fence gate should be self-closing and selflatching with latches above a child’s reach.
• Never rely on flotation devices or swimming lessons to protect a child.
• Don’t allow children to play in the pool/spa area. Never keep toys around or in a pool.
• Avoid swimming after dark.
• Risk for drowning increases in muddy water of lakes, ponds, and rivers.
• Avoid weak or thawing ice on any body of water.
• Diving into shallow water can cause spinal injuries. Never allow diving in above-ground pools, shallow water, or unknown areas.
• Be aware of local weather conditions prior to engaging in recreational water activities.
• Use the buddy system when swimming or boating.
• Require all persons to wear Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices when involved in water-related recreational activities, regardless of swimming ability.
• Avoid using alcohol or other drugs prior to and during recreational water activities.
• Assign an adult to be a “Water Watcher” who is responsible for actively supervising children in and around water even if a lifeguard is present.

For more information, please visit the following websites:

For more information about child drowning deaths, visit https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/content/uploads/sites/18/2021/10/2019-Drowning-Report.pdf

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Pools and Hot Tubs at Home
• YMCA
• American Red Cross
• Consumer Product Safety Commission Neighborhood Safety Network
• National Safety Council
• Safe Kids USA
• Consumer Product Safety Commission. Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act; Water Watchers.
• Virginia Department of Wildlife Resource

To learn more about the Consumer Product Safety Commission "Pool Safely" campaign, visit https://www.poolsafely.gov/

To order "Pool Safely" materials, visit https://www.poolsafely.gov/educational-materials-catalog/

Download the printable Drowning Prevention Tip Card