{"id":22529,"date":"2025-07-25T12:37:19","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T16:37:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/?p=22529"},"modified":"2025-07-25T12:41:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T16:41:14","slug":"prevent-drownings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/richmond-city\/2025\/07\/25\/prevent-drownings\/","title":{"rendered":"Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Offer Tips to Make Residential Pools Safe, Prevent Drownings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i>World Drowning Prevention Day is July 25<\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>RICHMOND, Va.<\/b> \u2013 For <u><a id=\"OWAf42b35eb-6c77-3581-5c58-4334ac4c6d7a\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/campaigns\/world-drowning-prevention-day\/2025\" href=\"https:\/\/www.who.int\/campaigns\/world-drowning-prevention-day\/2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"2\">World Drowning Prevention Day<\/a><\/u>, the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) remind families that residential pools are the leading location for accidental pool drownings in children under 15. RHHD encourages homeowners to ensure that their pools have proper safety features in place to help reduce the risk of drowning or injury.<\/p>\n<p>According to <u><a id=\"OWA547c7bc3-238a-141b-d544-952fd58f7e0b\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.cpsc.gov\/s3fs-public\/Pool-or-Spa-Submersion-Estimated-Nonfatal-Drowning-Injuries-and-Reported-Drownings-2024-Report_0.pdf\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cpsc.gov\/s3fs-public\/Pool-or-Spa-Submersion-Estimated-Nonfatal-Drowning-Injuries-and-Reported-Drownings-2024-Report_0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"3\">U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission<\/a><\/u>, 70% of pools or spas drownings in children under age 15 occurred in residential settings. That number grows to 85% for children 0-5 years old.<\/p>\n<p>In Virginia, nine children under age five have accidentally drowned in pools in 2025, an increase from the last five years (three in 2024, two in 2023, and four in 2022, eight in 2021 and four in 2020).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWorld Drowning Prevention Day gives us the opportunity focus on the importance of keeping ourselves and our families safe while swimming in pools this summer,\u201d said Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Director Elaine Perry, M.D. \u201cResidential pools provide a fun, active way to connect with friends and family. Safer pools and careful supervision of children can prevent accidental drownings.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>RHHD offers the <u><a id=\"OWA247de1fd-6349-d89f-1e8f-4221677cf7bd\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/environmental-health-services\/swim-healthy\/pool-safety-features\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/environmental-health-services\/swim-healthy\/pool-safety-features\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"4\">following tips<\/a><\/u> to increase the safety of your residential pool:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Properly fence all pools at least four feet in height around the perimeter of the pool\/spa.<\/li>\n<li>Use a self-closing and self-latching gate.<\/li>\n<li>Use anti-entrapment drain covers. Encourage swimmers to stay away from drains and other pool openings.<\/li>\n<li>Always remove portable pool ladders when not in use and when adults are not present.<\/li>\n<li>Remove all toys from the pool area that might attract children to the pool when not in use with adult supervision.<\/li>\n<li>Install alarms on doors leading from the house to the pool area that will alert you when someone enters the pool area.<\/li>\n<li>Empty and put away smaller portable pools after every use. Cover larger portable pools.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure your neighbors, babysitters and visitors know about the pool\u2019s presence in your yard.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Drowning is the <u><a id=\"OWA87ea0405-fad8-7ce3-9601-a6dbea83185e\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/drowning\/data-research\/facts\/index.html\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/drowning\/data-research\/facts\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"5\">leading cause of death among children<\/a><\/u> ages one to four. Drownings happen <u><a id=\"OWAa4104aa4-795b-4dba-c50d-d1f397d6ea57\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/environmental-health-services\/swim-healthy\/draft-drowning-prevention\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/environmental-health-services\/swim-healthy\/draft-drowning-prevention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"6\">quickly and silently<\/a><\/u>. In Virginia, on average, one person drowns every four days.<\/p>\n<p>RHHD reminds families to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Always watch kids in and around the water \u2013 and designate a <u><a id=\"OWA8bb945bc-4e66-5001-703b-d42985a407bd\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.safekids.org\/other-resource\/water-watcher-card\" href=\"https:\/\/www.safekids.org\/other-resource\/water-watcher-card\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"7\">water watcher<\/a><\/u>.<\/li>\n<li>Teach children to <u><a id=\"OWAcab46d9a-0a53-7ea1-26d4-c8c9e25f99d8\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.redcross.org\/take-a-class\/swimming\" href=\"https:\/\/www.redcross.org\/take-a-class\/swimming\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"8\">swim<\/a><\/u> \u2013 or sign them up for swim classes.<\/li>\n<li>Know life-saving skills, including <u><a id=\"OWAbf85ac1f-d7f3-7121-04cf-148b3674c78e\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/environmental-health-services\/swim-healthy\/learn-lifesaving-skills\/\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/environmental-health-services\/swim-healthy\/learn-lifesaving-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"9\">CPR<\/a><\/u> for adults and children.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Visit <u><a id=\"OWA2a2ded89-76b4-315e-c50c-1c42e23132dc\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"http:\/\/www.swimhealthyva.com\/\" href=\"http:\/\/www.swimhealthyva.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"10\">swimhealthyva.com<\/a><\/u> for more information. Swim safe. Stay safe!<\/p>\n<p>For more health and safety information, follow RHHD on Instagram at <u><a id=\"OWAa83639d5-e9c9-11a5-fd1a-3c68fd4788b4\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/richmondcity_hd\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/richmondcity_hd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"11\">@richmondcity_hd<\/a><\/u> and on <u><a id=\"OWA649a0d77-d550-48ff-6078-1fe7b641d9d5\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RichmondHenricoHealthDistricts\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RichmondHenricoHealthDistricts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"12\">Facebook,<\/a><\/u> visit <u><a id=\"OWA1c93c3fd-ff11-742b-7fff-5d1bd7a65ef1\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"https:\/\/rhhd.gov\/\" href=\"https:\/\/rhhd.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"13\">rhhd.gov<\/a><\/u>, and sign up for RHHD\u2019s monthly newsletter at<b> <\/b><u><a id=\"OWA6bc1e170-ab83-e241-99de-df84a9c49799\" class=\"x_Hyperlink x_SCXW231227719 x_BCX0 x_OWAAutoLink\" title=\"http:\/\/rhhd.gov\/news\" href=\"http:\/\/rhhd.gov\/news\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"14\">rhhd.gov\/news<\/a><\/u>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>World Drowning Prevention Day is July 25 RICHMOND, Va. \u2013 For World Drowning Prevention Day, the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) remind families that residential pools are the leading [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":383,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22529","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pr"],"modified_by":null,"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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