There were at least four drowning deaths in the valley over the weekend, aged 2, 4, 54 and 78.
In 2022, 142 drowning incidents were reported in Maricopa County, including 68 incidents involving young children ages 0 to 5 and 67 involving adults over 18 years of age, according to data from the Children’s Safety Zone. Of these 142 incidents, 60 ended in fatalities.
In 2022, drowning was the leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 4 in Arizona, according to data from the Arizona Department of Health Services. According to Lori Stauffer, board member of the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona, adults are also at risk if they swim restricted or alone, especially older adults who may have a stroke or heart attack while in the water.
“There’s nothing you can do, it’s a combination of measures to reduce the risk of drowning,” Stauffer said.
So you can have a safer summer in the water.
Keep children under supervision
Stauffer emphasized the importance of supervision when young children are in water.
“Adults have to keep an eye on the children in and around the water,” says Stauffer. “You don’t let anything else distract you.”
If a child is under the age of five, a guardian should be close enough to touch the child while in the water.
Children should never be alone near a pool or water source. This includes bathtubs, buckets, toilets, ponds and canals.
Barriers: put up a fence, wear a life jacket
“Barriers become the number one layer of protection because we don’t keep a 100% eye on our children,” says Stauffer. “You need something to keep them out of the water.”
A barrier surrounding water sources could be a fence, a pool cover, or closing the bathroom door. Be aware of moving objects that children may climb over near an outdoor fence or near a neighbor’s fence.
“The law does not require you to wear a life jacket when you are in open water. We still strongly encourage you to wear them,” Stauffer said. “We have allowed adults to drown in our lakes and rivers and if they had worn a life jacket it would not have happened.”
Learn to swim, learn CPR
Stauffer said she places great importance on learning to swim, especially when caring for children. Accidents can always happen; It’s important to be prepared, she said.
“The person watching the kids by the water needs to know how to respond in an emergency,” Stauffer said.
CPR is the last line of defense to prevent a fatal drowning incident and has the potential to restore oxygen to the brain.
Swimming lessons are offered at some City of Phoenix Pools locations. The American Red Cross offers online and in-person CPR courses throughout the valley. They offer lifeguard courses as well as free online swimming and water safety courses for parents and carers.
If you find someone struggling in the water:
- Call for help and pull the person out of the water.
- Call 9-1-1 immediately. stand on the line
- Begin CPR.
- If you are not trained, follow the instructions of the 9-1-1 operator until help arrives.
